Does Cochlear Implantation Affect Openness-to-Experience in Profound Postlingual Hearing Loss?

Recent studies suggest that hearing loss in postlingually deafened adults may be associated with lowered levels of the personality factor Openness to experience. This study investigated whether cochlear implantation in postlingually deafened adults raises the level of Openness to experience. Fifty-five postlingually deafened adults (mean age: 63 years) were assessed with the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness-Five-Factor-Inventory (NEO-FFI), a questionnaire capturing the five personality factors Extraversion, Openness to experience, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Personality assessment occurred before cochlear implantation and 24 months after implant activation. On factors Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness the mean scores of the sample were equal to population norms, both before and after cochlear implantation. On factor Openness to experience, the mean score was significantly lower before cochlear implantation, and remained so thereafter. Openness to experience may be reduced in some groups of deaf or hard of hearing persons. Cochlear implantation had no effect on any personality factor, at least not after two years of implant use.