The effectiveness of theory of mind intervention in Persian-speaking 5-7-year-old children using hearing aids and cochlear implants: A randomized controlled trial

Theory of mind refers to the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others and is foundational for effective social interaction. Children with hearing impairments often experience delays in theory of mind development, potentially due to limited access to language-based communication....

✦ Clinical Takeaway ✦

This RCT provides direct evidence to evaluate whether theory of mind intervention is effective for pediatric hearing aid and cochlear implant users aged 5–7; if results are positive, audiologists and speech-language pathologists working with this population should consider incorporating structured theory of mind training into habilitation programs.

✦ Why It Matters ✦

Theory of mind deficits are well-documented in children with hearing loss and can affect social development; an effective structured intervention would offer clinicians a concrete tool to address this gap alongside auditory habilitation.

✦ Key Points ✦

01RCT evaluated theory of mind (social perspective-taking) intervention in Persian-speaking children aged 5–7 using hearing aids or cochlear implants.
02Published in International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology; DOI 10.1016/j.ijporl.2026.112928.
03Randomized controlled design provides stronger causal evidence than observational work in this area.
04Study population is specific to Persian-speaking children, which may limit direct generalizability to other languages and cultures.
05Findings could inform pediatric audiological habilitation protocols beyond purely auditory outcomes.

✦ Claims & Evidence ✦

ClaimEvidenceSupport

A theory of mind intervention improves theory of mind abilities in Persian-speaking children aged 5–7 who use hearing aids or cochlear implants.

studyunclear

Children using hearing aids or cochlear implants benefit from structured theory of mind training.

studyunclear

✦ Research metadata ✦

PMID: 42424679
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2026.112928.
Journal: International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
Publication type: research_article
Evidence level: 1b
Population: Persian-speaking children aged 5–7 years using hearing aids or cochlear implants
Intervention: Theory of mind intervention (structured training program)
Comparator: Control group (randomized)

Primary outcomes

Theory of mind ability in children with hearing aids or cochlear implants post-intervention

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