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Bridging the Communication Gap: Pragmatics and Interactional Dynamics in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.

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Title: Bridging the Communication Gap: Pragmatics and Interactional Dynamics in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.
Authors: Mazzocconi, Chiara1,2,3 chiara.mazzocconi@univ-amu.fr, Hidalgo, Céline1,2, Hallart, Charlie4, Roman, Stéphane1,5, Bertrand, Roxane2,3, Lancia, Leonardo2,3, Schön, Daniele1,2
Source: Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research. Mar2026, Vol. 69 Issue 3, p1166-1203. 38p.
Subject Terms: *Conversation, *Computer software, *Assistive technology, *Interpersonal relations, *Hearing, *Health facilities, *Affect (Psychology), *Child behavior, *Children, Treatment of deafness, Cochlear implants, Statistical models, Task performance, Speech, Research funding, Hearing aids, Fisher exact test, Sound recordings, Physiological aspects of speech, Statistics, Phonetics, Video recording, Laughter
Geographic Terms: France
Abstract: Purpose: Children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) often face challenges in everyday social communication, even when they achieve good auditory recovery through hearing technologies. These difficulties, particularly in pragmatic and interactional domains, can affect peer relationships, educational outcomes, and quality of life. This study aims to characterize interactional and discourse-level challenges in DHH children with functional auditory access to inform targeted interventions. Method: We analyzed dyadic child-adult interactions involving nine DHH and 13 typically hearing (TH) children (ages 6-11 years), all using oral language. The DHH group included users of bilateral cochlear implants (CIs), bimodal devices (CI + hearing aid), and bilateral hearing aids. Each child interacted with an adult in a referential (treasure-hunting) task, alternated with child-led subtasks (e.g., storytelling). We adopted a multilevel analysis approach ranging from acoustics to pragmatics: acoustic features, turn-taking, laughter and their convergence, and dialogue acts. Results: Turn-taking and acoustic alignment (fundamental frequency, intensity, syllable rate) were similar across groups. However, dyads involving DHH children are less likely to complete the task, and DHH children produce significantly shorter turns and less speech laughter. They also showed significantly lower contingent responding to adult laughter and dialogue acts. Conversations with DHH children were more asymmetrical, with the adult speaking more, producing significantly longer turns, less laughter, and less laughter mimicry than when interacting with TH children. Conclusions: We provide a detailed, multilevel characterization of DHH conversational dynamics while interacting with a TH adult--whose behavior at times reduces interactional opportunities for the child. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of conversation and the importance of interventions that foster contingency, engagement, and mutual responsiveness to support DHH children's communicative development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
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PubType: Academic Journal
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  Data: Bridging the Communication Gap: Pragmatics and Interactional Dynamics in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mazzocconi%2C+Chiara%22">Mazzocconi, Chiara</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo><i> chiara.mazzocconi@univ-amu.fr</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hidalgo%2C+Céline%22">Hidalgo, Céline</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hallart%2C+Charlie%22">Hallart, Charlie</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roman%2C+Stéphane%22">Roman, Stéphane</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bertrand%2C+Roxane%22">Bertrand, Roxane</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lancia%2C+Leonardo%22">Lancia, Leonardo</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Schön%2C+Daniele%22">Schön, Daniele</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Speech%2C+Language+%26+Hearing+Research%22">Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 69 Issue 3, p1166-1203. 38p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Conversation%22">Conversation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+software%22">Computer software</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Assistive+technology%22">Assistive technology</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interpersonal+relations%22">Interpersonal relations</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing%22">Hearing</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+facilities%22">Health facilities</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Affect+%28Psychology%29%22">Affect (Psychology)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+behavior%22">Child behavior</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+of+deafness%22">Treatment of deafness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cochlear+implants%22">Cochlear implants</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+models%22">Statistical models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+performance%22">Task performance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech%22">Speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hearing+aids%22">Hearing aids</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fisher+exact+test%22">Fisher exact test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sound+recordings%22">Sound recordings</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physiological+aspects+of+speech%22">Physiological aspects of speech</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonetics%22">Phonetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+recording%22">Video recording</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Laughter%22">Laughter</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22France%22">France</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) often face challenges in everyday social communication, even when they achieve good auditory recovery through hearing technologies. These difficulties, particularly in pragmatic and interactional domains, can affect peer relationships, educational outcomes, and quality of life. This study aims to characterize interactional and discourse-level challenges in DHH children with functional auditory access to inform targeted interventions. Method: We analyzed dyadic child-adult interactions involving nine DHH and 13 typically hearing (TH) children (ages 6-11 years), all using oral language. The DHH group included users of bilateral cochlear implants (CIs), bimodal devices (CI + hearing aid), and bilateral hearing aids. Each child interacted with an adult in a referential (treasure-hunting) task, alternated with child-led subtasks (e.g., storytelling). We adopted a multilevel analysis approach ranging from acoustics to pragmatics: acoustic features, turn-taking, laughter and their convergence, and dialogue acts. Results: Turn-taking and acoustic alignment (fundamental frequency, intensity, syllable rate) were similar across groups. However, dyads involving DHH children are less likely to complete the task, and DHH children produce significantly shorter turns and less speech laughter. They also showed significantly lower contingent responding to adult laughter and dialogue acts. Conversations with DHH children were more asymmetrical, with the adult speaking more, producing significantly longer turns, less laughter, and less laughter mimicry than when interacting with TH children. Conclusions: We provide a detailed, multilevel characterization of DHH conversational dynamics while interacting with a TH adult--whose behavior at times reduces interactional opportunities for the child. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of conversation and the importance of interventions that foster contingency, engagement, and mutual responsiveness to support DHH children's communicative development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=192310472
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1044/2025_JSLHR-25-00325
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        Text: English
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        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer software
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      – SubjectFull: Assistive technology
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      – SubjectFull: Interpersonal relations
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      – SubjectFull: Hearing
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      – SubjectFull: Health facilities
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      – SubjectFull: Affect (Psychology)
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      – SubjectFull: Child behavior
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      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Treatment of deafness
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      – SubjectFull: Cochlear implants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical models
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      – SubjectFull: Task performance
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      – SubjectFull: Speech
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      – SubjectFull: Hearing aids
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              Text: Mar2026
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