Associations Among Parental Anxiety, Family Rehabilitation Participation, and Auditory-Language Outcomes in Preschool Children Using Hearing Aids or Cochlear Implants

This study examined associations among parental anxiety, family rehabilitation participation, device data logging variables, and auditory-language outcomes in preschool children using hearing aids or cochlear implants.

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✦ The floor

Discussion

Signed responses from readers of the wire.

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

Audiologists fitting hearing aids or cochlear implants in young children should routinely screen for parental anxiety, as it may negatively affect family participation in rehabilitation and device use, which are known drivers of auditory-language outcomes.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

Highlights parental mental health as a modifiable factor in pediatric auditory rehabilitation, suggesting that supporting anxious caregivers could meaningfully improve language outcomes for young hearing device users.

✦ Key Points ✦

01Parental anxiety is associated with variations in family rehabilitation participation and device data-logging hours in young children.
02Device data-logging (hours of daily hearing aid/implant use) is an objective measure linked to auditory-language outcomes.
03Both hearing aid and cochlear implant users are represented, broadening clinical applicability.
04Study focuses on preschool-aged children, a critical window for language development.
05Findings suggest targeting parental well-being may be an underutilized lever in pediatric audiology.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

Higher parental anxiety is associated with lower family rehabilitation participation in preschool children using hearing devices.

studypartially supported

Family rehabilitation participation and device data-logging are associated with auditory-language outcomes in preschool hearing device users.

studysupported

Parental anxiety is associated with reduced auditory-language outcomes in children using hearing aids or cochlear implants.

studypartially supported

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42853251
DOI: 10.1044/2026_AJA-26-00160.
Journal: American Journal of Audiology
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 3
Population: Preschool-aged children using hearing aids or cochlear implants and their parents/caregivers
Intervention: Assessment of parental anxiety, family rehabilitation participation, and device data-logging

Primary outcomes

Auditory-language outcomes in preschool children; Family rehabilitation participation levels; Device data-logging (daily hearing device use hours)

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