Social and emotional adjustment of hearing‐impaired children in ordinary and special schools

Abstract

Summary Previous studies using teacher questionnaires have found a higher prevalence of maladjustment among hearing‐impaired compared with hearing children. Results from the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide (BSAG) and Rutter Children's Behaviour Questionnaire (RCBQ) are reported for 42 children aged seven to 16 years with sensori‐neural losses (mean 45.64 dBHL) born in Manchester who were attending ordinary schools. Prevalence rates on the BSAG are lower than those reported in previous studies with the hearing‐impaired including their special school peers and compare favourably with rates for hearing children. Although a higher prevalence rate was found on the RCBQ, it is lower than that for their special school peers. The relationship between maladjustment and other measures is discussed. The most frequently marked items on the scales are compared with those for their special school peers. The relevance of such studies to the integration of hearing‐impaired children in ordinary schools is outlined.