Language comprehension and cognitive abilities in children with cochlear implants

Despite early intervention with cochlear implants, children with hearing impairment often show poorer language performance than their hearing peers. Previous research has focussed primarily on language outcomes, while data on the relationship between language and cognitive function is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare receptive language skills and the components of verbal working memory (storage and processing of information) in children with cochlear implants and their hearing peers, as well as to investigate the relationships between these skills within and between groups. The study involved 35 children with cochlear implants and 23 hearing children, aged 6 to 15 years, who were matched for gender and chronological age. They were assessed using the Croatian versions of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVTIII-HR) and the Test for Reception of Grammar (TROG-2:HR), while verbal working memory was assessed using the Digit-Span task. The results showed that children with cochlear implants had significantly lower scores in vocabulary and grammar comprehension, as well as lower verbal working memory capacity. Stronger correlations between language and cognitive variables were observed in the group of children with cochlear implants than in the hearing group. These results emphasise the importance of integrated assessment and intervention targeting both language and cognitive skills.