Evaluation of sound-working memory therapy intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children using Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) sensory gating

• Main Authors: Shahrudin, Fatin Amira, Dzulkarnain, Ahmad Aidil Arafat, Jamal, Fatin Nabilah, Rahmat, Sarah, Musa, Ramli, Ahmad Basri, Nadzirah, Jusoh, Masnira, Sidek, Shahrul Na'im, Md. Yusof, Hazlina, Khalid, Madihah
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: RF Otorhinolaryngology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/90748/4/IERASG21_general-information.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/90748/13/90748_Evaluation%20of%20sound-working%20memory%20therapy%20intervention.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/90748/

Background: Sound therapy is an intervention to provide extensive treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) children. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence on the validity of this method that has been performed in the previous studies including (i) the use of parental-report questionnaires for pre and post-intervention and (ii) an absence of objective test such as auditory-evoked potential (AEP) to evaluate the effectiveness of sound-therapy to regulate emotion in ASD children. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of sound therapy in regulating the emotion of ASD children using Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Sensory Gating through Stroop Task and parental-reported questionnaires (Emotion Regulation Checklist (ERC) and Malay Sensory Gating Survey (SGS)). Methods: A total of 40 ASD children will be recruited and divided into 5 groups in which 2 groups will be assigned as a control group (no therapy or working memory only) and 3 groups as the experimental groups. The experimental groups will undergo sound-working memory therapy in which different sounds background will be assigned during sound or sound-working memory therapy session. The parents will be requested to answer ERC and Malay SGS at the beginning and end of sound or sound-working memory therapy session. The participants from both groups will undergo pre and post-intervention using ABR with Stroop Task. Results: Two-way Repeated measure ANOVA will be used to compare the ABR sensory gating, ERC, and Malay SGS between experimental and control groups before and after the intervention. Multiple linear regression will be used to evaluate the relationship of all outcomes that will be measured. This study postulates that a good agreement among ABR sensory gating, ERC, and Malay SGS scales in evaluating emotion regulation among ASD children will be obtained. Conclusion: Success in conducting this study will provide a better understanding of sensory gating in ASD children. ABR sensory gating also will provide a reliable and direct result that can significantly support any findings on self or parental-reported questionnaires. This allows for more accurate diagnosis and symptoms which may help in planning intervention for ASD children.