title: Educational, employment, and social participation of young adult graduates from the paediatric Southern Cochlear Implant Programme, New Zealand.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to observe the education and vocational achievements and social participation of cochlear implant recipients as they graduate from a paediatric cochlear implant programme and identify any significant associations that might exist.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study identified 56 patients from the Southern Cochlear Implant Programme (SCIP) who received cochlear implants before the age of 19 (paediatric) and are now over the age of 19 (adult). A questionnaire investigated their education, employment, and identity with the hearing and deaf communities. Also included were the satisfaction with life scale and Hearing Participation Scale (HPS). Subjects ranged in age from 19 to 32.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six patients responded to the questionnaire, including one non-user. Twenty identified strongly or very strongly with the hearing community. There was weak evidence of a linear association between strong identity with the hearing community and a higher HPS score. No other statistically significant associations were detected. Interestingly, 12 out of 26 participants found employment through family.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive outcome trends in education and employment were seen in this study although no statistical significance was achieved. There is a strong bias for those who use their cochlear implants regularly, and there are no data available for those who do not use their cochlear implants for comparison as only one non-user completed the survey, despite efforts to include this group. This study shows that there is perceived benefit in implantation for patients who use it regularly but further research is needed with a more diverse group of cochlear implant recipients.
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mustard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019929:Cochlear Implantation / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D003054:Cochlear Implants / Q000523:psychology; D003638:Deafness / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D060345:Education of Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D058992:Social Participation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cochlear implant; Education; Employment; Hearing identity; Paediatric; Quality of life; Social participation