Results of Studies Focusing on the Social Development of Children with Cochlear Implants: Current Status

Delays in language development among children with cochlear implants can cause disruptions in other areas due to the holistic nature of development. Social development is one such area. It affects children's emotional development and plays a significant role in their interaction with their environment and society. Identifying the factors that affect social development and the interventions that support social development is important because it has the potential to guide studies that will support children in this area. Accordingly, this study aims to examine studies focusing on the social development of children with cochlear implants in Türkiye and to present the integrated results. The research was conducted using a systematic review design. Twelve studies that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed descriptively. The studies examined the relationship between demographic variables such as implant age, chronological age, educational environment, and participation in early intervention and children's social development. The results show that children who begin using cochlear implants at an early age develop social skills along with language development. The importance of qualified early intervention services is frequently emphasized. Intervention programs should be developed that are tailored to the individual needs of children and their families' socioeconomic status. There is a need for more intervention-based research in Türkiye.