Abstract
To understand the benefits of cochlear implantation in adulthood under the perspective of users. Qualitative study using Symbolic Interactionism and Straussian Grounded Theory as theoretical and methodological frameworks, respectively. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the aforementioned Institution (Opinion no. 482,019). Sixteen adult cochlear implant (CI) users aged 28-58 years participated in the study. The data collection instrument was a semi-structured interview with questions about changes caused by CI in the social relations, communication, family system, and personal, academic and professional spheres of life of users. The category Cochlear Implant Effects on Adulthood is part of a more comprehensive theoretical study that addresses how adult CI users cope with deafness. Together with its subcategories, it shows that CI intervenes in a revolutionary way in the lives of its users, because it increases their sense of security, enables them to see life from a new perspective, rescues self-confidence and self-esteem, enables them to communicate and interact more effectively, enjoy music and other entertainment, rescue old projects, and make plans for the future; thus assisting with the process of recovering independence in adult life. Subjective impressions of the users showed that cochlear implants not only improve their auditory performance, but also bring several positive changes to their social insertion and quality of life. Therefore, this intervention is highly beneficial to deaf adults.
Highlights
Communication is a vital necessity for human beings, and is decisive in interpersonal relationships and in the quality of everyday social interactions
The category Cochlear Implant (CI) Effects on Adulthood enabled the understanding of the changes that cochlear implantation (CI) generates in adult life and the meanings that hearing brings to this phase of the life cycle
Direct quotes from the study participants are used to highlight the meanings perceived from this experience
Summary
Communication is a vital necessity for human beings, and is decisive in interpersonal relationships and in the quality of everyday social interactions. Proper rehabilitation of the deaf can reduce the impact of the difficulties that this sensory impairment causes to their functionality. In this context, in the past decades, cochlear implantation (CI) has been the technology that generates expectations and brings benefits to individuals with severe and/or profound neurosensory HL who do not benefit from other hearing devices. Several studies have assessed the benefit of this intervention, focusing mainly on measuring the gains in speech perception[1,2,3,4,5], whereas others have evaluated the impact of CI through the application of quality-of-life (QoL) questionnaires[2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10]. The efficacy of this resource should be assessed with respect to the subjective aspects of everyday life[11], using methodologies that enable openset speech perception from the perspective of those who experience this situation, such as Symbolic Interactionism (SI) and Grounded Theory (GT)
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