Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 26, 2025
Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
Assessment of Behavioral Problems in Children Pre- and Post-Cochlear Implant: An Egyptian Study
Ahmed Ali Abdelmonem1, Hisham Salah2, Heba Ashour Mostafa1
1Department of Phoniatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt.
Insights
Cochlear implantation did not significantly alter behavioral issues in children, but they still differed from normal-hearing peers. Integrating psychosomatic specialists can enhance cochlear rehabilitation outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Developmental psychology
- Behavioral science
Background:
- Cochlear implantation aims to improve hearing and communication in children with severe to profound hearing loss.
- Understanding the behavioral profiles of these children is crucial for maximizing implant benefits.
- Pre-existing behavioral challenges may influence adaptation and outcomes post-implantation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess and compare behavioral problems in children before and after cochlear implantation against a normal-hearing control group.
- To identify specific behavioral domains affected by cochlear implantation.
- To inform strategies for managing behavioral issues and enhancing cochlear implant rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 53 children: 28 with normal hearing (control) and 25 with severe to profound hearing loss undergoing cochlear implantation (case).
- The Arabic Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was administered to assess behavioral problems in both groups.
- The case group was reassessed using the CBCL three months post-cochlear implantation.
Main Results:
- Significant differences were observed in total internalizing and externalizing domain scores between the post-implant case group and the control group (p=0.001).
- No significant changes in emotional or behavioral problems were found within the case group when comparing pre- and post-implantation assessments using both empirically based and DSM-based CBCL criteria.
Conclusions:
- Cochlear implantation did not lead to significant short-term behavioral improvements within the implanted group.
- Children with cochlear implants continued to exhibit distinct behavioral patterns compared to their normal-hearing peers.
- Inclusion of psychosomatic medicine specialists in cochlear rehabilitation teams is recommended to better manage behavioral challenges and optimize outcomes.
Objective:
The present study aimed to detect the behavioral problems pre- and post-cochlear implantation in comparison to normal hearing group to be able to manage these problems to get more benefit from using cochlear implants.
Methods:
A case-control study included 53 children was done. They were divided into 2 groups, the control group included 28 healthy volunteers with normal hearing and the case group included 25 children with severe to profound hearing loss, fitted for cochlear implantation. The Arabic Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to detect different behavioral problems in both groups. Case group children were followed up and reassessed again by CBCL 3 months later after cochlear implantation.
Results:
There were highly significant differences regarding total scores of internalizing and externalizing domains of empirically based CBCL between the control group and the case group after cochlear implants (p=0.001). There were non-significant differences in children within case group (pre- and post-cochlear implantation) regarding emotional and behavioral problems on both empirically based and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-based CBCL.
Conclusion:
For better results, it is necessary to include a specialist of psychosomatic medicine in the cochlear rehabilitation teamwork.
