Be Cognative: Cognates in the Rehabilitation of Cochlear Implant Users with German as a Second Language – A Computer-Based Experiment

IF 2.1 3区医学 Q2 AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders Pub Date : 2025-10-08 DOI:10.1111/1460-6984.70138

Susann Thyson, Maika Werminghaus, Thomas Klenzner

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The rehabilitation of people with cochlear implants (PwCI) who speak more than one language poses significant challenges to healthcare systems, particularly in countries experiencing global migration. This study investigates the potential of cognates (CO) to enhance speech and language therapy for PwCI with German as a second language. A historically underserved group in rehabilitation contexts, speech and language therapy for PwCI speaking German as a second language is often affected by language barriers.

Aim

This study aimed to investigate whether PwCI with bi- or multilingual backgrounds show an increased positive selection rate and a reduced latency in understanding auditorily presented CO compared to Non-cognates (NCO), to identify a potential speech and language therapy approach for PwCI in the context of CI rehabilitation. In addition, the study investigated a possible correlation between the level of proficiency in the second language of PwCI and the frequency at which the second language is used in daily life with the selection of CO.

Method

A computer-based experiment was conducted using the open-source software PsychoPy. The experiment involved 48 adult multilingual PwCI undergoing outpatient CI rehabilitation. Using a crossover design, participants completed auditory tasks involving CO and NCO at single-word and sentence levels.

Results

The study involved 48 multilingual PwCI with an average age of 55.7 years who received cochlear implants 66 months previously, on average. Participants spoke languages including Polish, Russian and Turkish, reflecting the linguistic diversity within the German population. The PwCI showed better performance in selecting and processing CO compared to NCO at both the single-word and sentence levels, with significantly faster response times for CO. Daily use of German did not significantly affect CO selection speed at the single-word level, but those who used German more often performed better with CO in sentences.

Discussion and Conclusion

The results suggest that CO are processed faster and more accurately than NCO by multilingual PwCI. This finding highlights the potential of CO in auditory training and speech and language therapy, which is consistent with the existing literature on normal-hearing individuals. CO can enhance comprehension exercises, which are crucial for speech and language therapy, and address the language barriers faced by multilingual PwCI and speech and language therapists. By incorporating exercises focused on CO into therapy, language and comprehension skills essential for multilingual PwCI could be enhanced, potentially improving their hearing abilities.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS

What is already known on this subject

Prior to our study, it was known that cognate-based interventions in speech therapy for people with normal hearing have shown positive results. However, there has been limited research on the use of cognates in cochlear implant rehabilitation. This study aims to fill existing knowledge gaps and provide new insights that are crucial for optimising hearing rehabilitation strategies in cochlear implant recipients with a multilingual background.

What this paper adds to the existing knowledge

As a result of this study, we received indications that cognate-focused exercises can improve word and sentence processing in cochlear implant recipients with multilingual backgrounds. These findings highlight the potential of cognates to improve speech and language therapy outcomes. They open up new opportunities for optimising rehabilitation strategies in this population. These findings could lead to tailored interventions that improve comprehension skills for multilingual cochlear implant users.

What are the potential or actual clinical implications for this work?

The study has clear clinical implications. Integrating cognates into speech and language therapy for multilingual people with cochlear implants may improve their auditory training outcomes. This approach may improve their language processing and communication skills, potentially leading to more effective and personalised rehabilitation strategies.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

认知：以德语为第二语言的人工耳蜗使用者的认知康复——一个基于计算机的实验。

背景：使用多种语言的人工耳蜗植入者（PwCI）的康复给卫生保健系统带来了重大挑战，特别是在经历全球移民的国家。本研究探讨同源物（CO）对德语为第二语言的残疾儿童言语和语言治疗的潜力。在康复环境中，以德语为第二语言的残疾儿童的言语和语言治疗往往受到语言障碍的影响，这是一个历史上服务不足的群体。目的：本研究旨在探讨双语或多语背景的PwCI与非同源语（NCO）相比，是否表现出更高的阳性选择率和更低的理解听觉呈现的CO的延迟，以确定在CI康复背景下PwCI的潜在言语和语言治疗方法。此外，本研究还探讨了PwCI的第二语言熟练程度与日常生活中使用第二语言的频率之间可能存在的相关性，并选择了co .。方法：使用开源软件PsychoPy进行计算机实验。实验涉及48名接受门诊CI康复的成年多语种PwCI。使用交叉设计，参与者在单个单词和句子水平上完成涉及CO和NCO的听觉任务。结果：本研究纳入48例多语种PwCI患者，平均年龄55.7岁，平均66个月前接受人工耳蜗植入。与会者讲的语言包括波兰语、俄语和土耳其语，反映了德国人口中语言的多样性。在单字和句子水平上，PwCI对CO的选择和加工均优于NCO，对CO的反应时间显著加快。在单字水平上，日常使用德语对CO的选择速度没有显著影响，但经常使用德语的人在句子中对CO的选择速度有更好的表现。讨论与结论：结果表明，多语言PwCI处理CO比处理NCO更快、更准确。这一发现强调了CO在听觉训练和语言治疗中的潜力，这与现有关于正常听力个体的文献一致。CO可以加强理解练习，这对言语和语言治疗至关重要，并解决多语言残疾儿童和言语和语言治疗师面临的语言障碍。通过将专注于CO的练习纳入治疗，可以提高多语言PwCI必不可少的语言和理解技能，从而潜在地改善他们的听力能力。这篇论文补充的内容：在我们的研究之前，我们知道，在听力正常的人的语言治疗中，基于认知的干预已经显示出积极的效果。然而，有关同源物在人工耳蜗康复中的应用研究有限。本研究旨在填补现有的知识空白，并为优化多语言背景下人工耳蜗受者的听力康复策略提供新的见解。本研究的结果表明，以认知为中心的练习可以提高多语言背景的人工耳蜗受者的单词和句子处理能力。这些发现强调了同源词在改善言语和语言治疗结果方面的潜力。它们为优化这一人群的康复策略开辟了新的机会。这些发现可能导致量身定制的干预措施，以提高多语言人工耳蜗使用者的理解技能。这项工作的潜在或实际临床意义是什么？该研究具有明确的临床意义。将同源词整合到植入人工耳蜗的多语患者的言语和语言治疗中可能会改善他们的听觉训练结果。这种方法可能会提高他们的语言处理和沟通能力，潜在地导致更有效和个性化的康复策略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders AUDIOLOGY & SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY-REHABILITATION

CiteScore

3.30

自引率

12.50%

发文量

116

审稿时长

6-12 weeks

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders (IJLCD) is the official journal of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists. The Journal welcomes submissions on all aspects of speech, language, communication disorders and speech and language therapy. It provides a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of issues of clinical or theoretical relevance in the above areas.