Visual attention, behavioral inhibition and speech/language outcomes in deaf children with cochlear implants

Abstract

We investigated relations between sustained visual attention, behavioral inhibition skills, and speech-language outcomes in prelingually deaf children who use cochlear implants (CIs) using two computerized continuous performance tasks (CPTs). One test measured their ability to sustain visual attention to a string of numbers and another test measured their ability to delay a behavioral response. Performance on latter task was related to postimplant scores on tests of vocabulary knowledge, language skills, and speech intelligibility. We conclude that behavioral inhibition skills of prelingually deaf children are related to several audiological outcome measures in deaf children with CIs. Our findings suggest that further investigation is warranted into executive functions and subvocal rehearsal skills of deaf children with CIs.