An Examination of the Social Skills of Preschool-Age Children with Cochlear Implants

Abstract

Introduction: The preschool period is the most critical time for the development of social skills. Children with cochlear implants experience challenges in many domains, particularly including communication skills. This study aimed to compare the social skills (initiation, academic support, friendship, and emotion regulation skills) of preschool-age children with cochlear implants to those of their hearing peers. The second aim was investigate the influence of unilateral/bilateral cochlear implant use and preschool attendance on social skills. Method: Thirty-four children (16 girls, 18 boys) with cochlear implants with a mean age of 53.18 months and 36 hearing children (21 girls, 15 boys) with a mean age of 53.92 months were included in this study. The social skills of the hearing children and the children with cochlear implants were compared using the Preschool Social Skills Evaluation Scale. The influence of unilateral/bilateral cochlear implant use and the effect of preschool attendance on social skills were also investigated. Findings: The performances of children with cochlear implants were significantly lower than those of their hearing peers in terms of initiation skills, academic support skills, friendship skills, and emotion regulation skills (p < .05). Bilateral cochlear implant users had significantly higher initiation skills than unilateral cochlear implant users, and cochlear implant users who attended preschool had significantly higher academic support skills than cochlear implant users who did not attend preschool. Discussion: Preschool-age children with cochlear implants were behind their hearing age-mates in social skills and required increased educational support to promote their social skills. Being a bilateral cochlear implant user and attending preschool education had positive effects on social skills.