Cochlear Implant Users and Their Significant Others: Changes to Relationships, Working and Social lives Following Implantation

Abstract

There has been an increase in the use of qualitative research on the effects of cochlear implants. However, most studies only looked from the perspectives of CI users and rarely on both the users and their significant others. As most profoundly deaf people and CI users still have contact and communication to those closest to them, gaining insight from their significant others could shed some new light on the effects of cochlear implants on interpersonal relationships, working and social lives. A two stage process was used for data collection. For the first stage, 100 questionnaires were sent to adult CI participants from the Northern Cochlear Implant Programme and another 100 was sent to their nominated significant others. Returned questionnaires were filtered and 6 pairs of CI users and their SOs were interviewed. The results showed that overall relationships after implant could change for the better (four pairs), stay the same (one pair) or become worse (one pair). Whichever way a relationship turns out depends on a few contributing factors which could be modelled into a progressive cycle of change; with the most important factors being expectations and communication between pairs. Working and social lives of CI users have also improved overall after the implant. The results of the study could be used to advice or counsel CI users and their significant other(s) in the CI programmes. In particular, those relationships with the potential to develop negative changes to relationships after cochlear implantation should be considered.