9 INTERVENTION EFFECTS OF MUSIC THERAPY PRIMARILY USING CHINESE CHILDREN'S SONGS ON LANGUAGE ABILITIES IN CHINESE PEDIATRIC COCHLEAR IMPLANT RECIPIENTS: a COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE-BASED RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

INTRODUCTION:This study aims to delve into the intervention effects of Chinese children's songs on the language abilities of Chinese cochlear-implanted hearing-impaired children from the perspective of cognitive behavioral science. Focusing on how music therapy can activate language-related brain regions through activities such as rhythm perception and melody memory, it seeks to promote the coordinated development of cognitive functions and emotional well-being. METHODS:The study included 12 hearing-impaired children with cochlear implants from Y Children's Rehabilitation Center in N City, J Province, China, who were randomly divided into an experimental group (6 participants) and a control group (6 participants). The control group received conventional rehabilitation training, while the experimental group received additional music therapy on top of the standard rehabilitation, five times a week for 20-30 minutes each session, lasting for 8 weeks. The intervention included activities like rhythm imitation (to enhance auditory-motor coordination), interactive singing sessions (to strengthen language rhythm perception), and musical games (to boost social engagement). Pre-and-post intervention evaluations were conducted using the “Chinese Assessment Standards and Methods for the Hearing and Language Abilities of Children”. Data analysis was performed using both Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon t-test. RESULTS:Following the intervention, the experimental group showed significantly better overall performance than the control group (P<0.05). Intra-group comparisons revealed notable increases in language vocabulary, auditory-language response speed, and proactive expressions in social interactions for the experimental group post-intervention. Contrastingly, the control group exhibited only slight improvements in foundational language abilities, with other metrics showing no significant changes (P>0.05). Notably, improvements in dimensions related to cognition and emotion, such as language rhythm perception and expressive emotional language, were particularly significant in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS:Music therapy, including Chinese children's songs, can be effectively applied in the rehabilitation training of cochlear-implanted hearing-impaired children, fostering the development of normal language skills in children with cochlear implants.