Emotion-Specific Associations Between Perceived Sound Quality and Auditory Emotion Recognition in Children With Cochlear Implants.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived sound quality and auditory emotion recognition in children with cochlear implants (CIs) and to compare auditory emotion recognition and hearing-related quality of life (HRQoL) between pediatric CI users and age-matched normal-hearing peers.

METHOD: Forty-two children aged 7-18 years participated (CI group: n = 21; control group: n = 21). Auditory emotion recognition was assessed using the Montreal Affective Voices (MAV) with 60 nonverbal affective vocalizations representing six emotions (anger, fear, happiness, pain, surprise, and neutral). Perceived sound quality was evaluated with Hearing Implant Sound Quality Index Questionnaire (HISQUI19) and HRQoL with age-appropriate Hearing Environments and Reflection on Quality of Life (HEAR-QL) versions.

RESULTS

The CI group demonstrated poorer auditory emotion-recognition performance and lower HRQoL than controls. Correlational analyses in the CI group indicated positive associations between perceived sound quality (HISQUI19) and happiness recognition and between HEAR-QL and both happiness and fear recognition; chronological age was positively associated with neutral emotion recognition, whereas age at implantation was negatively associated with pain recognition.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric CI users showed poorer nonverbal auditory emotion recognition and lower HRQoL than age-matched normal-hearing peers. Exploratory findings further suggest that perceived sound quality may be selectively associated with happiness recognition in CI users.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.32691078.