Rating scales as predictors of speech perception in paediatric cochlear implant users

The relationship between parent and clinical supervisor ratings on the Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) and Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (MAIS) with directly measured speech perception abilities in children at six months and one year after cochlear implantation is not yet established.

Fifty-two children with cochlear implants aged 3-6 years were evaluated, with 27 children tested at six months post-implantation and 25 children at one-year post-implantation. The CAP and MAIS rating scales were administered by a clinical supervisor and one parent of each child. Aided speech identification scores were obtained using the Modified Early Speech Perception Test at six months and the Speech Identification Test for Kannada-Speaking Children at one year.

At six months post-implantation, there was no agreement between parent and supervisor ratings on the CAP and MAIS, and neither scale correlated with speech identification scores. However, at one year, parent ratings on both the CAP (r = 0.66) and MAIS (r = 0.62) showed strong positive correlations with speech identification scores. Regression analysis revealed that parent-rated CAP scores significantly predicted speech identification scores (R² = 0.39). In contrast, supervisor ratings did not significantly correlate with speech measures at either time point.

While rating scales may not reflect auditory development in the first six months post-implantation, parent-report tools like the CAP and MAIS show promise as valid predictors of speech identification around one year after cochlear implantation in children. These findings highlight the critical value of caregiver impressions to comprehensively evaluate functional auditory outcomes over time.