Parental perspectives and attitudes toward the many aspects of cochlear implantation

Abstract

Introduction: Although studies have been carried out to know the influence of family support, family size, the modality of communication, socioeconomic status, and maternal involvement on intervention outcomes, fewer studies have addressed parents' views and their attitudes toward the process. The current study aims to assess relatively unexplored domains in the Indian context through the Parents' Perspective questionnaire. Materials and Methods: The participant groups consisted of parents who were visiting implant centers for rehabilitation during the study period. Parents of children who have had at least 1 year of rehabilitation postimplantation were considered as participants. The parents' perspective questionnaire was adapted and modified to be socioculturally sensitive to the Indian population. The translated version(s) of the questionnaire comprising 40 items under 10 domains was administered in person and through telephonic interviews. Expectations and satisfaction ratings from 102 parents were analyzed across different domains. Results: The questionnaire recorded positive responses and satisfaction in all psychosocial domains assessed. A vast majority of parents reported difficulty in decision-making in addition to stress during the pre- and post-operative periods. Conclusions: The parental perspectives emerging from this study can help professionals address parental concerns, provide assistance in decision-making, and contribute to a better and more approachable service delivery system.