title: The effects of maternal stress and child language ability on behavioral outcomes of children with congenital hearing loss at 18-24months.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prior studies have shown that children with congenital hearing loss have increased rates of behavior disorders. Child hearing loss has also been reported to be associated with increased maternal stress. Little is known about the behavior or the predictors of behavioral outcomes of children with hearing loss identified early and receiving Early Intervention services.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to identify the behavioral outcomes in early identified children with hearing loss and control hearing children at 18-24 months of age and to examine the impact of stress on early behavior development. It was hypothesized that children with hearing loss will have more behavior problems, and maternal stress will be associated with child behavior problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children with and without congenital hearing loss and their mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Parenting Stress Index and the Child Behavior Checklist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with hearing loss had increased scores for withdrawn and internalizing behavior. In multivariate analyses after adjusting for hearing loss, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit stay, and socioeconomic status, maternal stress independently contributed to higher scores for internalizing behavior, externalizing behavior, and total behavior problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maternal stress is an important correlate of behavior problems for children with hearing loss and should be considered by Early Intervention providers.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Women & Infants Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02905, United States.
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Topol
authors: Nicole
authors: N
authors: Girard
authors: Lucille
authors: L
authors: St Pierre
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Tucker
authors: Betty
authors: B
authors: Vohr
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000150:complications* / Q000151:congenital*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting; D013315:Stress, Psychological