(874) Psychosocial Factors Influencing Family Stress in the Context of Pediatric Cochlear Implantation

Introduction: Pediatric cochlear implantation (CI) rates continue to increase, carrying significant implications for both children and their families. Despite this growth, few studies have systematically explored the psychosocial factors that most strongly contribute to stress within families of pediatric CI recipients. This scoping review aimed to define and synthesize existing literature on psychosocial factors of family stress related to pediatric CI and characterize the range of reported impacts to identify areas requiring further investigation.

Methods: A systematic search of Ovid, CINAHL, and Scopus was conducted for articles published between January 1, 2005, and January 1, 2025. Two reviewers independently screened studies, with a third resolving disagreements. Eligible studies included CI recipients under 18 years of age and examined psychosocial factors associated with familial stress. Studies on adult CI users, general hearing loss, or published before 2005 were excluded. Included articles were analyzed for family-related, child-related, and professional/service-related factors to stress.

Results: Of 6,003 initial records, 310 remained after removing duplicates and initial exclusions. Full-text review identified 16 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Frequently reported family-related factors included lower income, communication challenges, and parental anxiety or depression. Child-related factors included CI technology difficulties, academic struggles, and behavioral concerns. Families also reported stress associated with limited professional support, service barriers, and advocacy demands. Only one study examined stress among siblings; the remainder focused on parents.

Conclusions: This review identifies substantial gaps in understanding psychosocial stress among families of pediatric CI users, particularly siblings. Findings highlight several modifiable factors across several domains that clinicians may address to reduce familial stress and support more positive CI experiences. Future research should prioritize the largely overlooked experiences of siblings.