INTRODUCTION: The benefits of cochlear implants (CIs) on the auditory perception and language skills of preverbally deaf children are well established. However, individual and contextual factors may account for the heterogeneity of language development profiles among children with CIs. In normal hearing (NH) children, active participation in informal musical activities with their parents could positively influence vocabulary. Although music perception may be a challenge for pediatric CI users, the feasibility and efficacy of music programs for this population have been investigated. The present study explores the effects of an online music program on language and mother-child communication in children with CIs. Results have been compared with the effects on a control group of children with CIs and a group of NH children. METHODS: Twelve children with CIs (Mage=16.8 mos, SD=3.15; Mageactivation=12.7 mos, SD=3.16) and their mothers (CI-T group) and twelve age-matched NH children (Mage=16.33 mos, SD=3.72) and their mothers (NH-T group) have completed the music program. Twelve children with CIs (Mage=16.75 mos, SD=2.68; Mageactivation=12.3 mos, DS=2.62) and their mothers (CI-C group) who did not participate in the music program were included in the study. The program starts three months after the CI activation and lasts twelve weeks and involves stimuli as rhythm, picth and melodies. Activities on listening, movement, playing instruments, and turn taking are proposed. We collected pre-intervention (T1) and post-intervention (T2) measures of spontaneous speech (i.e. child’s tokens, types, utterances, and conversational turns) from videotaped mother-child interactions, and of expressive vocabulary using the short form of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Inventories (MBCDI). RESULTS: A series of nonparametric paired samples t-tests were conducted to measure the effects of the online music program. Preliminary results show: 1) a significant increase in the child’s expressive vocabulary for the CI-T (p=.035) and the NH-T ( p=.002); 2) a significant increase in the child’s tokens (p=.011) and types (p=.025) for the CI-C group; 3) higher mean increases in expressive vocabulary from T1 to T2 for the NH-T group (-18.00) compared to the CI-T group (-5.00), and for the CI-T group compared to the CI-C group (-1.00). CONCLUSION: After participating in an online music program, both the CI-T and the NH-T groups, but not the CI-C group, significantly increased their lexical production on the MBCDI. Children with CI who did not participate in the music program showed a significant increase in their spontaneous production during interactions with their mothers. The benefits of participating in online musical activities may be better captured by standardized measures of children’s early vocabulary, than by measures of contingent language. Larger samples and additional follow-up may clarify the effects of the music program on young children with CIs.
Spontaneous language and vocabulary of children with cochlear implants who participated in an online music program. A comparison with a control group of children with cochlear implants and a group of normal-hearing children.
Michela Santangelo;Marinella Majorano
2025-01-01
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The benefits of cochlear implants (CIs) on the auditory perception and language skills of preverbally deaf children are well established. However, individual and contextual factors may account for the heterogeneity of language development profiles among children with CIs. In normal hearing (NH) children, active participation in informal musical activities with their parents could positively influence vocabulary. Although music perception may be a challenge for pediatric CI users, the feasibility and efficacy of music programs for this population have been investigated. The present study explores the effects of an online music program on language and mother-child communication in children with CIs. Results have been compared with the effects on a control group of children with CIs and a group of NH children. METHODS: Twelve children with CIs (Mage=16.8 mos, SD=3.15; Mageactivation=12.7 mos, SD=3.16) and their mothers (CI-T group) and twelve age-matched NH children (Mage=16.33 mos, SD=3.72) and their mothers (NH-T group) have completed the music program. Twelve children with CIs (Mage=16.75 mos, SD=2.68; Mageactivation=12.3 mos, DS=2.62) and their mothers (CI-C group) who did not participate in the music program were included in the study. The program starts three months after the CI activation and lasts twelve weeks and involves stimuli as rhythm, picth and melodies. Activities on listening, movement, playing instruments, and turn taking are proposed. We collected pre-intervention (T1) and post-intervention (T2) measures of spontaneous speech (i.e. child’s tokens, types, utterances, and conversational turns) from videotaped mother-child interactions, and of expressive vocabulary using the short form of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Inventories (MBCDI). RESULTS: A series of nonparametric paired samples t-tests were conducted to measure the effects of the online music program. Preliminary results show: 1) a significant increase in the child’s expressive vocabulary for the CI-T (p=.035) and the NH-T ( p=.002); 2) a significant increase in the child’s tokens (p=.011) and types (p=.025) for the CI-C group; 3) higher mean increases in expressive vocabulary from T1 to T2 for the NH-T group (-18.00) compared to the CI-T group (-5.00), and for the CI-T group compared to the CI-C group (-1.00). CONCLUSION: After participating in an online music program, both the CI-T and the NH-T groups, but not the CI-C group, significantly increased their lexical production on the MBCDI. Children with CI who did not participate in the music program showed a significant increase in their spontaneous production during interactions with their mothers. The benefits of participating in online musical activities may be better captured by standardized measures of children’s early vocabulary, than by measures of contingent language. Larger samples and additional follow-up may clarify the effects of the music program on young children with CIs.
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
