Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Executive functioning skills in long-term users of cochlear implants: a case control study
William G Kronenberger1, David B Pisoni, Shirley C Henning
1Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indiana University, USA. wkronenb@iupui.edu
Objective:
To investigate differences in executive functioning between deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) and normal-hearing (NH) peers. The cognitive effects of auditory deprivation in childhood may extend beyond speech-language skills to more domain-general areas including executive functioning.
Methods:
Executive functioning skills in a sample of 53 prelingually deaf children, adolescents, and young adults who received CIs prior to age 7 years and who had used their CIs for ≥7 years were compared with age- and nonverbal IQ-matched NH peers and with scale norms.
Results:
Despite having above average nonverbal IQ, the CI sample scored lower than the NH sample and test norms on several measures of short-term/working memory, fluency-speed, and inhibition-concentration. Executive functioning was unrelated to most demographic and hearing history characteristics.
Conclusions:
Prelingual deafness and long-term use of CIs was associated with increased risk of weaknesses in executive functioning.
