Approaches are described for adjusting a cochlear implant system that has an electrode array with multiple electrode contacts, which is implanted in a patient. For selected individual electrode contacts, a corresponding channel-specific monoaural interaction component (MIC) score is calculated that represents a channel interaction factor based on a ratio of: i. an electrically evoked auditory brainstem response (eABR) measurement of an electrical stimulation signal applied to the individual electrode contact, and ii. a sum of individual eABR measurements from simultaneous electrical stimulation of selected electrode contacts nearest to the individual electrode contact. Each electrode contact having a channel-specific MIC score below a MIC score threshold value is then deactivated, whereby electrical stimulation signals are not delivered to deactivated electrode contacts.