Development of the Musi-CI Training, A Musical Listening Training for Cochlear Implant Users: A Participatory Action Research Approach.
Joke Veltman, Marjo J M Maas, Cilia Beijk and 5 others
PMID 37697865WHAT IT FOUND
Cochlear implant users found that shifting focus from recognising familiar melodies to listening for timbre, emotion, and beat helped them enjoy music again.
Peer support was valued highly, but the training requires about 12 months of implant experience to be feasible.
Key findings
01Participants reported that focusing on timbre, emotion, and beat was more effective for enjoyment than trying to recognise familiar melodies.
02Peer contact and group discussions were considered one of the most valuable features, helping users cope with the grief of lost musical abilities.
03The training was too difficult for users with less than 12 months of implant experience, leading to a change in inclusion criteria for the final cycle.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a qualitative study of development and experience, not a controlled trial of efficacy. No objective measures of music perception were taken. Participants were self-selected and likely more motivated than the average CI user. The trainer was a professional musician and CI user, so results may not generalize to trainers without this specific dual expertise. Dropout reasons included dissatisfaction with the CI sound and external factors like the pandemic, which may bias the completion rate.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding was provided by ZonMw. The first version of the online training tool (Melody Game) was funded by a grant from four CI manufacturers (Advanced Bionics, Cochlear, MED-EL, Oticon Medical).
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the participants' reported enjoyment as evidence that the training improves objective music perception skills. The study did not measure auditory performance, and the positive outcomes are based on self-report from a small, motivated group.