KBB-Forum 2023 , Cilt 22, Sayı 1

THE EFFECT OF THE FREQUENCY MODULATION (FM) ASSISTIVE LISTENING DEVICE ON SCHOOL PERFORMANCE IN FIRST GRADE PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH COCHLEAR IMPLANTS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Gulce KIRAZLI 1, PhD; Gunay KIRKIM 2, PhD; Tahsin Oguz BASOKCU 3, PhD; Selhan GURKAN 2, PhD; Yuksel OLGUN 4, MD;
1Graduate School of Health Sciences, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
2Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Unit of Hearing Speech and Balance, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
3Faculty of Education, Division of Measurement and Evaluation in Education, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
4Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Unit of Hearing Speech and Balance, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
5Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey Aim: Acoustic problems can have untoward effects on academic performance especially in children with hearing loss. This study aimed to determine whether frequency modulation (FM) assistive listening device affects school performance in first grade primary school students with cochlear implants (CIs).

Materials and Methods: Ten children were included in the CI group and 10 children were included in the CI + FM (frequency modulation) group. The CI group did not use any hearing assistive devices, whereas the CI + FM group used the FM system regularly. A total of three children from the two groups were excluded from the study for different reasons as of the second measurement. Achievement tests were developed to assess the school performance and fundamental skills acquired via Turkish, mathematics, and life sciences subjects. The tests were administered to the students in both groups at baseline and in three-month intervals, making a total of four measurements.

Results: The results showed a significant increase in students' performance (p< 0.05) in both groups throughout the study. Compared to the CI group, the students in the CI + FM group improved their performance statistically more in mathematics and Turkish achievement tests (p< 0.05).

Conclusions: The study results suggest that the use of the FM system contributes significantly to the school performance of children with CI. Keywords : Cochlear implant; assistive listening device; achievement test; school performance; FM system