Executive Functions and their Relationship to Emotional Regulation in Hard of Hearing

Abstract

Executive functions are a collection of mental processes that play a crucial role in regulating behavior and emotions, with their development starting in childhood. Hearing loss can affect these functions, resulting in language acquisition, challenges with learning, and social interactions. By understanding the relationship between executive functions and emotional regulation in individuals with hearing loss, we can create effective support strategies. Objective: The current study aimed to reveal the relationship between executive functions and emotional regulation in hearing impaired children. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, data were collected from 135 students (78 males and 57 females) of hearing impaired in integration programs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (M age = 12.8 years, SD age = 1.68 years), the analytical descriptive method was used, and in order to achieve the objectives of this study, some tools were used, namely: The Barkley Deficits in Executive Functioning Scale-Children and Adolescents (BDEFS-CA) (Barkley, 2012) and the Emotional Regulation Scale (Gross & John, 2003). Results: The results of the study indicated a significant negative correlation between executive function deficits and emotional regulation (r = -.653, p < .001).  It appears that there were no observable differences between males and females in terms of executive functions and emotional regulation in children with hearing impairment. "Executive function deficits significantly predicted emotional regulation, accounting for 75.1% of the variance (R2 = .751, p < .001). These findings highlight the importance of incorporating targeted executive function interventions to support emotional regulation in hard-of-hearing children. Conclusion: This preliminary study offers valuable insights into potential strategies and programs for training executive function tasks, which have a significant impact on various aspects of development, particularly emotional development in children with hearing impairment.