Stress in Parents of School-Age Children and Adolescents With Cochlear Implants

This study compares general and condition-specific stress (via the Family Stress Scale) in 31 parents of CI users (8 –16 years) to previously published samples of DHH children, and it examines child- and CI-related factors associated with parental stress. Parents of modern-day CI users reported significantly lower stress than parents of children using older-generation CI technology and similar levels of overall stress to parents of young children preimplantation. However, significant item-level differences emerged (e.g., communication, device management) pre- versus postimplant. Child temperament significantly predicted parental stress after controlling for other variables. Intervention strategies for chi ldren with CIs should engage a family systems approach to reduce parental stress and better support the child.
Source: Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education - Category: Audiology Source Type: research