title: Self-esteem in children and adolescents with hearing loss.
abstract: Children with hearing loss are at risk for lower self-esteem due to differences from hearing peers relative to communication skills, physical appearance, and social maturity. This study examines the influence of generic factors unrelated to hearing loss (e.g., age, gender, temperament) and specific factors associated with hearing loss (e.g., age at identification, communication skills) on how children with hearing loss wearing cochlear implants or hearing aids appraise self-esteem. Fifty children with hearing loss wearing cochlear implants or hearing aids participated (Mean age: 12.88 years; mean duration of device use: 3.43 years). Participants independently completed online questionnaires to assess communication skills, social engagement, self-esteem, and temperament. Children with hearing loss rated global self-esteem significantly more positively than hearing peers, t = 2.38, p = .02. Self-esteem ratings attained significant positive correlations with affiliation (r = .42, p = .002) and attention (r = .45, p = .001) temperaments and a significant negative association with depressive mood (r = - .60, p < .0001). No significant correlations emerged between self-esteem and demographic factors, communication skills, or social engagement. Because successful communication abilities do not always co-occur with excellent quality of life, clinicians and professionals working with children with hearing loss need to understand components contributing to self-esteem to improve identification, counseling, and external referrals for children in this population.
authors.affiliation: Dallas Cochlear Implant Program, TX, USA Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA warnerczyz@utdallas.edu.
authors.forename: Andrea D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Warner-Czyz
authors.affiliation: Dallas Cochlear Implant Program, TX, USA Department of Enterprise Planning, Children's Medical Center, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Betty A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Loy
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Ashton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wetsel
authors.affiliation: Dallas Cochlear Implant Program, TX, USA Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Texas at Dallas, TX, USA Department of Enterprise Planning, Children's Medical Center, TX, USA Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Emily A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Tobey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000367:Age Factors; D001307:Auditory Perception; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D003144:Communication Barriers; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament
keywords: adolescents; children; cochlear implant; hearing loss; quality of life; self-esteem