Mobile game–based auditory training as an adjunct to aural rehabilitation in preschool children with cochlear implants: a randomised feasibility trial

Objective Serious games are designed for educational purposes. This study aimed to explore the potential effects of a serious game designed to enhance the auditory skills of children with cochlear implants on their auditory perception and language skills.Design The control group continued with traditional auditory training, whereas the experimental group received an additional 12 sessions of a serious mobile game called The World of Sounds. Before and after the 12 sessions, the auditory perception skills of both groups were assessed using the Auditory Perception Test for Children, while language development was evaluated using the Turkish Early Language Development Test.Study Sample Twenty-four bilateral cochlear implant recipients, aged 30–60 months, were randomly assigned to either the control group or the experimental group.Results Significant time x group interactions were found across all subtests of the Auditory Perception Test for Children and Turkish Early Language Development Test batteries (p < 0.05). The experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in auditory perception subtests and receptive language (p < 0.05).Conclusions Serious games may provide a supportive adjunct to conventional aural rehabilitation in children with cochlear implants.