A Qualitative Systematic Review on Music Training Programs with Focus on Enhancing Cochlear Implant Users’ Music Appreciation

Music is an important part of everyday life. It plays a crucial role for human connection and provides a communication network for emotions. Hearing loss can negatively impact the music experience. Although Cochlear Implants (CI) enable individuals with severe to profound hearing loss to successfully understand spoken language, many users find their experience with music less than satisfactory. Music training programs may offer a hopeful solution to recondition the music experience for CI users. However, music training programs available to CI users today generally carry more weight on improving the perceptual accuracy of music rather than enhancing appreciation and enjoyment. The primary objective of this review is to identify different types of music training programs and their connection to music appreciation. A brief overview of the factors that contribute to music appreciation are also provided.