Training Language and Literacy for Children Who Use CIs

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Hearing Loss, Sensorineural
• Interventions: Behavioral: Phonological Awareness + Working Memory; Behavioral: Active Control; Behavioral: Phonological Awareness; Behavioral: Working Memory

• Registration Number: NCT03582566
• Lead Sponsor: Florida State University

Brief Summary

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of computer games to improve language and literacy outcomes for children who have hearing loss. Children will be assigned to one of four conditions: phonological awareness training, working memory training, phonological awareness + working memory training, or active control.

Detailed Description

Both phonological awareness and working memory are known to be important for children's language and literacy learning. Though there are computer games that claim to improve phonological awareness and working memory, it is unknown if these games will improve language and literacy skills for children who have hearing loss.

The investigators will first determine if the games are effective for improving language and phonological awareness in children with hearing loss relative to an active control condition. Secondly, the investigators will determine if gains in phonological awareness and working memory translate into gains in language and literacy skills relative to active control.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2016-07-01
• Study First Submitted: 2018-06-18
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-06-27
• Study First Posted: 2018-07-11
• Primary Completion: 2023-06
• Study Completion: 2023-06
• Status Verified: 2023-07
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-07-12
• Last Update Posted: 2023-07-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 87

Inclusion Criteria

• Prelingual hearing loss
• Use of amplification device (hearing aid and/or cochlear implant) for at least one year
• Able to visit the clinic 3x/week for 12 weeks

Exclusion Criteria

• No developmental delays (Down's syndrome, Autism spectrum disorder)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Phonological Awareness + Working Memory	Phonological Awareness + Working Memory	Children will practice both their sound skills (Earobics) and their memory skills (Cogmed).
Active Control	Active Control	Children will play games to practice their addition and subtraction skills (Splashmath).
Phonological Awareness	Phonological Awareness	Children will play games to practice their rhyming, sound sequencing, and letter-sound knowledge. These games are all implemented in the Earobics program.
Working Memory	Working Memory	Children will play games designed to help them hold and manipulate objects in memory. These games are implemented in Cogmed.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Children's Test of Nonword Repetition	Baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks post-baseline), 6 months post-baseline	Change in a standardized test of verbal working memory
Change in Phonological Awareness Test scores	Baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks post-baseline), 6 months post-baseline	Change in a standardized test of phonological awareness. Scores are from 0-100 with higher scores indicating better performance.
Change inComprehensive Test of Phonological Awareness	Baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks post-baseline), 6 months post-baseline	Change in a standardized test of phonological awareness. Scores are from 0-100 with higher scores indicating better performance.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Receptive/Expressive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test	Baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks post-baseline), 6 months post-baseline	Change in a standardized test of vocabulary knowledge. Scores are from 0-100 with higher scores indicating better performance.
Change in Oral Written Language Scales	Baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks post-baseline), 6 months post-baseline	Change in a standardized test of language and literacy skills. Measures performance on expressive and receptive language, and reading and writing abilities. Scores are age-adjusted.
Change in Woodcock Johnson Reading Mastery Test	Baseline, post-intervention (8 weeks post-baseline), 6 months post-baseline	Change in a standardized test of early literacy skills. Scores are from 0-100 with higher scores indicating better performance.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Florida State University; 🇺🇸 Tallahassee, Florida, United States

Northwestern University; 🇺🇸 Evanston, Illinois, United States