Assessing post-cochlear implantation anxiety and correlating it to socio-demographic and clinical characteristics

Abstract

Abstract Background There is a greater incidence of mental health problems among children with hearing impairment compared to controls. A high proportion of children with hearing impairment experience delays in understanding, recognizing, and using emotional expression. There are additional difficulties in post-cochlear transplant patients that may increase the risk of developing psychopathology, such as anxiety disorder. Results Forty mothers of children who underwent cochlear implantation surgery responded to the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale. Socio-demographic, medical, and perioperative data of children were obtained from medical records. On the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale, 21 out of 40 children (52.25%) have a positive total score. On obsessive–compulsive disorder, physical injury fears, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, and social anxiety subscales, the numbers of children who scored positive are 23 (57.5%), 18 (45%), 18 (45%), 10 (25%), and 6 (15%), respectively. Conclusion Anxiety disorders are common in post-cochlear transplant children.