Specificities of auditory behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder.

Abstract

Auditory behavior reflects an individual's response to environmental sounds. Atypical responses to auditory input may indicate developmental difficulties, particularly in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to identify auditory behavior in children with ASD in relation to autism severity, age, treatment onset, and history of ear disease. The sample included 30 children with ASD (21 female and 9 male), classified into three groups according to ASD severity: mild (n = 3), moderate (n = 4), and severe (n = 23). Auditory behavior was assessed using the Questionnaire on Auditory Behavior for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (QAB-ASD), and ASD severity was determined using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Initial analyses suggested differences in auditory behavior according to ASD severity, with children in the mild ASD group showing higher auditory behavior scores than those with more severe ASD. However, these differences did not remain statistically significant after Bonferroni correction. No statistically significant differences were found in relation to treatment onset, history of ear diseases, or age. Given the small, uneven sample, the findings should be interpreted with caution. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive assessment of auditory behavior when planning individualized interventions for children with ASD.