Abstract: Objective To explore the influence of social-emotional competence and adaptive behavior on language skills of hearing-impaired children. Methods 68 hearing-impaired children aged 1~3 years were investigated with questionnaire. Results Externalizing behavior and deregulation negatively correlated with language skills (P<0.05), while communication positively correlated (P<0.05). Multiple regression showed that externalizing behavior was the independent factor related with language skills of hearing-impaired children. Conclusion Social-emotional competence relates with the language skills of hearing-impaired children.

Key words: hearing impairment, children, social-emotional competence, adaptive behavior, language skills