A Systematic Review of Behavioral and Emotional Problems in Children with Hearing Impairment

Auditory deprivation during the early years of life can hinder the development of language, communication, social-emotional, and cognitive skills. Reviewing studies on behavioral and emotional problems in children with hearing impairment, the present article attempted to answer three questions: Are behavioral and emotional problems more prevalent in children with hearing impairment than those without? If yes, what variables are correlated with behavioral and emotional problems in children with hearing impairment? What challenges need to be addressed to assess and identify behavioral and emotional problems in these children? And, what effective interventional solutions and strategies can be proposed to diminish behavioral and emotional problems in children with hearing impairment? Fourteen articles published in Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct databases during 2007-2017 were reviewed. Results pointed to more prevalent behavioral and emotional problems in children with hearing impairment than those without, as well as to a lack of homogeneity in terms of incidence in the former group. In addition, the pattern of children with hearing impairment responses to assessments might be attributable to their inability to express reason to characterize behaviors and emotions in the described situations as opposed to their difficulty in understanding mental states. Finally, interventional solutions and strategies proved effective in improving the behavior and communication-emotional skills of children with hearing impairment.