Exploring the Hearing Improvement and Parental Stress in Children with Hearing Loss Using Hearing Aids or Cochlear...

Objectives: This study aims to describe the stress levels experienced by parents of children with hearing loss who use conventional hearing aids or cochlear implants, and to assess the correlation between parental stress and the auditory skills acquired by the children. Methods: The study was conducted at the Policlinic "Gaetano Martino" in Messina, evaluating data from 42 pairs of parents of children using hearing aids or cochlear implants. Parents completed the LittlEARS Auditory Questionnaire (LEAQ) and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) 18 months after the initial device (hearing aid or cochlear implant) had been activated. Additionally, information was collected regarding the presence of peripartum issues (including preterm birth) or associated conditions, congenital hearing loss, the total number of children in the family, and the number of children with hearing loss in the family. Results: Significant differences were found in the months to effective stimulation (p = 0.026), the age of the children at the time of the survey (p = 0.024) and the PSS score (p = 0.029). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression revealed significant correlations between LEAQ scores and both the months to effective stimulation and the age of the children at the time of the survey; univariate and multivariate linear regression revealed significant correlations between PSS scores and the type of device, months to effective stimulation, age of the children at the time of the survey, peripartum issues, and the number of children. A Spearman correlation showed a positive relationship between LEAQ and age of the children at the time of the survey, and a negative correlation between the PSS scores and the age of the children at the time of the survey. Conclusions: Parents of children with cochlear implants reported higher stress levels than those with children using hearing aids, although auditory performance was comparable between groups. Improved auditory performance was associated with reduced parental stress. The PSS and LEAQ are effective tools used in clinical practice for assessing parental stress and tracking auditory recovery, respectively.