Impact of Hearing Loss Type on Linguistic Development in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss in childhood is associated with significant challenges in linguistic and cognitive development, particularly affecting language skills such as syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, which are essential for effective communication and social integration. This study aims to analyze how different types and degrees of hearing loss impact linguistic development in children, and to identify clinical factors—such as age at diagnosis and years of language intervention—that may predict language performance. Methods: This study included a sample of 140 children aged 6 to 12, categorized into seven groups based on their hearing condition: unilateral and bilateral conductive, unilateral and bilateral sensorineural, unilateral and bilateral mixed hearing loss, and a control group with no hearing loss. Linguistic development was assessed using the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals - 5 (CELF-5), a validated tool for diagnosing language disorders. Statistical analyses, including MANOVA and multiple regression, were conducted to evaluate differences in linguistic skills across groups and to determine the predictive value of clinical variables on total language performance. Results: The analysis revealed statistically significant differences across groups in all assessed linguistic domains (p