Deaf Parents Research Articles

Sign language delays in deaf 3- to 5-year-olds with hearing parents.

Deaf children of hearing parents (DOH) are at risk for early language delays (ELD) due to environmental and etiological factors, compounding the previously reported higher incidence of ELD in deaf children of deaf parents (DOD) compared to the general population. Archival data from the online database of the Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist yielded 147 ratings of DOH 3- to 5-year-old children whose parents reported American sign language (ASL) being used in the home at least equally to spoken language. Research goals included (1) examining the incidence of ELD in this cohort, (2) investigating differences in outcomes based on the scaling method used, (3) exploring patterns among the ratings of DOH children identified with ELD, (4) comparing the DOH outcomes to published DOD data, and (5) investigating differences between ratings and individual children. The DOH outcomes suggested an incidence of ELD twice that of the previous DOD sample, with a higher percentage of more severe delays. Even DOH children not identified with ELD demonstrated less well-developed ASL skills than their DOD peers. This emphasizes the need for ongoing monitoring of early ASL skills to allow for early identification of needs and adjustment of interventions to address ASL development.

ANALYSIS OF EXPRESSIVE AND RECEPTIVE KENYAN SIGN LANGUAGE SKILLS AMONG PRIMARY DEAF CHILDREN IN WESTERN REGION, KENYA

Research has shown that deaf children of hearing parents, who constitute 95% of the deaf community, find challenges in acquiring both sign and spoken languages. This study examined the competence of deaf children in Kenyan Sign Language. The study developed sign language tools in receptive and expressive vocabulary skills. These were sign order, conversation, placement and picture descriptive as a measure. In the majority of the assessment task, there were clear indicators of age effects, family background whether-deaf or hearing, and amount of contact with skilled signers. In the interview section, children tended to answer questions with short responses. The language was only reached at age ten. In a number of cases, simple questions were misunderstood and irrelevant answers were given. It was noted that the interaction with deaf children of deaf parents (DCDP) was very cordial as opposed to deaf children of hearing parents (DCHP). The picture description did not elicit proficient signing as was expected. The story description was not easy to understand and internalize because of the ambiguity of the children’s signing. This was because there was no indication of the protagonist. In sign order, ages ten to eleven did not seem to understand spatial grammar reliably. This test worked better in its receptive version.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0715/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Parental self-efficacy and early language development in deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

This study examined the relationship between parental self-efficacy in parents of young deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children and children's spoken language skills. A retrospective within-subjects study design was used that included 24 mother-child dyads with DHH children. Parental self-efficacy was assessed using the Scale of Parental Involvement and Self-Efficacy-Revised. Children's language abilities were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale-5th edition. Our data revealed no significant associations between global measures of parental self-efficacy and children's auditory comprehension, expressive communication, and total language scores. However, positive correlations were found between child language skills and specific parents' beliefs about their ability to support their child's spoken language development, their ability to use strategies to help their child communicate, and their active involvement in intervention. Findings highlight the importance of examining discrete aspects of parental self-efficacy as it specifically relates to parents supporting their DHH child's spoken language development. Future directions and implications are provided.

Loneliness in the Context of Frieda Fromm-Reichmann’s Life

Frieda Fromm-Reichmann’s “On Loneliness” uniquely reflects her core values and experiences. Dr. Fried, an immigrant psychiatrist from Germany, is portrayed in Joanne Greenberg’s semiautobiographical novel not as a replica but as a fictional creation, necessitating complementary biographical accounts of Frieda. From childhood, she honed the skill of managing relationships with her deaf parents and others. Her commitment to the lonely and disabled was professionally inspired by her mentors, Kurt Goldstein and Georg Groddeck. Despite achieving international renown as an outstanding psychotherapist for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia, her later years were marked by ongoing separations from significant others, the advent of the psychotropic treatment era, and worsening deafness. A key to understanding her work may be her Judaism, which she ceased practicing three decades prior.

Deaf Parents Supporting Hearing Children Language and Literacy Development: A Narrative Retrospective Study

For most children, home is their first school, and their mother is the first teacher. The current research study, focusing on hearing Children of Deaf Adults (CODA), explored how Deaf parents support their hearing children's language and literacy development and how hearing children of Deaf parents experience language and literacy development within a sign language home environment. The research employed qualitative narrative research to collect data from Deaf parents and hearing children of Deaf parents. The study involved four whites (three female and one male) and two female African Americans ages 22-45. All the participants were from the Southern United States. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis.

Обусловленность понимания социальной причинности глухими младшими школьниками особенностями семьи

The most important natural condition for the social development of the personality of any child is full-fledged interpersonal communication, which is impossible without the elementary skills of a cause-and-effect analysis of a problem situation of interaction based on an understanding of social causality, identifying causal relationships between the actions of individuals in the process of joint activity and communication. The process of developing an understanding of social causality in a child with hearing impairment has its own specifics. These children have difficulty mastering the logical connections and relationships between phenomena, events and people's actions. This hinders both their adequate assessment of others and the formation of an understanding of social causality. There is a relationship between the emotional, moral and social development of deaf children and the characteristics of the parental family. In families where both the child and the parents have hearing impairments, emotional relationships develop that are close to those that are typical for hearing families. In contrast, hearing parents cannot develop the same successful relationship with their children. Thus, the focus of our attention is the conditionality of the understanding of social causality by deaf junior schoolchildren by the characteristics of the family. Based on the foregoing, the purpose of the study is to analyze the influence of the characteristics of a family with deaf and hearing parents on the general level of development of a child's understanding of social causality, which will optimize this process in a family and educational organization. The paper presents the results of our own experimental study, containing a qualitative analysis of empirical data. It has been established that the impoverishment of understanding of social causality in deaf children with hearing parents is largely due to the inability of adult hearing people to provoke small deaf children to emotional communication. Deaf elementary school students raised by deaf parents are relatively more socially adapted and have a greater level of development of understanding of social causality than deaf elementary school students from families of hearing parents. The results of the study can be used as a basis for purposeful correctional and developmental work with deaf junior schoolchildren and their families to develop an understanding of social causation.

Defining hearing culture in context of Deaf culture: A grounded theory examination

This research aims to define and identify the characteristics of hearing culture in the United States, particularly in contrast to Deaf culture. Through three focus group interviews with 18 participants from different backgrounds, including deaf individuals with both deaf and hearing parents, as well as hearing individuals affiliated with the Deaf community, key themes emerged. These themes included defining cultures, audiovocal orientation, mixed spaces, negotiating one’s role as a hearing person, perception, development of hearing identity, and orientation. This study seeks to shed light on the ways in which hearing individuals navigate the world with their primary senses of listening and speaking, in contrast to deaf individuals who rely on vision and touch. Ultimately, this research aims to provide a better understanding of the complexities of cultural dynamics between the hearing and Deaf worlds. Ultimately, a definition of hearing culture emerged from the data.

Development of a Family-Based Early Intervention Program to Develop Sign Language Skills in Deaf Children

Family-based early intervention needs to be provided for children who experience obstacles, this aims to ensure that the obstacles experienced by children can be overcome from an early age. The obstacles that are overcome from now on will have a positive impact in the future development. This research aims to develop a family-based intervention program to develop sign language skills for deaf children. The research method used in this research is the descriptive qualitative method. The subject in this study was a 5-yearold deaf child and the child's parents. The results of this research are an intervention program based on family resources to develop deaf children's sign language skills as a modality for children to communicate with the community and a modality in educational settings in elementary schools. It is hoped that this research can help deaf children, parents, and teachers to develop sign language skills in deaf children.

Correction to: The Literacy Beliefs of Deaf and Hearing Parents and Their Interactions with Deaf and Hearing Preschool Children

Correction to: The Literacy Beliefs of Deaf and Hearing Parents and Their Interactions with Deaf and Hearing Preschool Children

Assessing parent-child interaction with deaf and hard of hearing infants aged 0-3 years: An international multi-professional e-Delphi.

Most deaf babies are born to hearing families who do not yet have the skills to communicate effectively with their child. Adaptations to communication are important because the quality of parent-child interaction (PCI) predicts how a deaf child develops language. Teachers of Deaf children and Speech and Language Therapists support families with communication in the home. Currently, there are no assessments that appraise how a parent interacts with their deaf baby. Previous research has identified which parent behaviours and approaches are used in PCI assessments in research and practice. The current paper forms consensus on the core content and best practices of a new PCI tool for deaf children aged 0-3 years. An international sample of expert academics and practitioners (n = 83) were recruited to take part in a two-round modified electronic Delphi study. Participants were presented with 69 statements focusing on (i) which parent behaviours were important in assessment (ii) the methods to be used in PCI assessment. Participants rated the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with each statement on a five-point Likert scale and gave comments to support their response. Consensus was defined as >80% of participants rating the statement as a (4) 'highly important' or a (5) 'essential'. If consensus was not reached, participant comments were used to generate new statements which were rated in the second round. This project involved a patient and public involvement (PPI) group of hearing and deaf parents and professionals to design and guide the study. Consensus was achieved on 52 statements and ranged from 80-99%. A further six statements were additionally included. Within the 58 statements included, 36 were parent behaviours which centred on the parent's observation of, and response to, their child's behaviour and/or language. The remaining 22 statements focused on methods used in the assessment such as parents having their PCI filmed, parents having the opportunity to review the video and assess themselves alongside a professional, and parents being involved in subsequent goal setting. This e-Delphi presented the parent behaviours and methods of assessment to be included in a new PCI tool for deaf children. Future co-production work and acceptability and feasibility testing are discussed.

The Literacy Beliefs of Deaf and Hearing Parents and Their Interactions with Deaf and Hearing Preschool Children

Abstract This study aimed to explore the literacy interactions of deaf and hearing parents with their preschool children in Saudi Arabia. The participants were three sets of parents (six individuals) of preschoolers. Data were collected through home literacy observation, experience sampling method, and interviews. All participants endorsed learning through play, and in the interviews, they highlighted the importance of learning sign language for literacy development. They emphasized fluency in sign language and acknowledged its importance for supporting deaf children’s language and early literacy development. The deaf parents emphasized the importance of the whole-language approach when first teaching literacy at home and consciously exposed their hearing children to subtitles when watching TV, whereas hearing parents believed that working on phonics was a more effective approach for teaching children new words. Hearing parents chose to focus on teaching their deaf children phonics and phonemic awareness to prepare them for school and relied on dialogue to support vocabulary development.

AI empowered Auslan learning for parents of deaf children and children of deaf adults

AbstractCommunication poses a challenge for the deaf and hearing loss community. This difficulty is even more pronounced in the families of Children of Deaf Adults (CODAs) and Parents of Deaf Children (PODCs). To help these families overcome this challenge, we design an AI-empowered interactive bi-directional Australian Sign Language (i.e., Auslan) dictionary application to facilitate communication within a household. Technically, our APP can not only look up sign gestures for the given English words but also translate isolated Auslan gestures into English. Through an inviting user interface and experience design, we can further improve engagement within the CODA and PODC families while enabling Auslan education at home. The positive user experience underscores the success of our APP not only in leveraging AI to revolutionise Auslan education but also in promoting cross-generational language acquisition and communication.

Mental Health, Parenting Stress, and Parenting Practices of Parents of Deaf or Hard of Hearing Children During the Pandemic.

The authors investigated parent mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with parenting behaviors of parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. An electronic survey was distributed to parents (N = 103). The results showed that they were experiencing elevated anxiety, depression, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. A combined model demonstrated that parental distress was significantly associated with depression and with parental reports of symptoms indicating significantly higher distress. Parental distress was also significantly associated with parenting strategies: Parents who endorsed positive strategies reported significantly lower levels of distress, while parents who endorsed negative strategies reporting significantly higher levels. It was found that screening protocols to identify parents in need of support are crucial, particularly among the parent population considered in the present study. Additionally, access to mental health services and evidence-based positive parenting programs is essential.

Child maltreatment among deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescent students: associations with depression and anxiety.

Child abuse and neglect have several short- and long-term consequences for the victim. Though Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children are at higher risk of being maltreated as compared to hearing children, little research in Saudi Arabia has focused on this population. To determine the prevalence of child maltreatment and to examine its association with depression and anxiety among a sample of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students in Saudi Arabia, recruited from secondary schools in southern Saudi Arabia. The sample included 186 Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students aged 14-17 years (M = 15.7 years; SD = 3.41 years). Data were collected using the Child Abuse Self-Report Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire. Bivariate and Linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 20. About 47.3% of the students were exposed severe to very severe child maltreatment. The severity of maltreatment varied based on parents' educational and income level, number of children in the family, the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing student's gender, and parents' hearing status. Linear regression analysis indicated that child maltreatment was a significant predictor of depression and anxiety in this sample. Considering the socio-demographic factors influencing the prevalence of maltreatment in the present study, it seems important to work with parents of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children to improve their skills in rearing a child with special needs. Addressing the social stigma and social barriers experienced by DHH individuals through familial, institutional, and community interventions may be a first step toward long-term prevention of maltreatment among DHH children.

Sign language support in an inclusive environment: Educational sign language interpreting services in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Educational sign language interpreting services (SLIS) are vital for ensuring equal access to classroom information for mainstreamed deaf students. This study conducted interviews with 12 stakeholders, including deaf students and their parents, sign language interpreters, and resource room teachers, to comprehensively explore the status of educational SLIS in Taiwan, utilising the ecological systems theory as the framework. The findings underscore the critical importance of deaf students’ sign language proficiency in the personal system. Sign language interpreters play a crucial role in enhancing their skills through additional time and support, leading to improved learning, motivation, and attitudes. At the microsystem level, parents of deaf students are key persons in advocating for the SLIS of primary school, while resource room teachers assist at the university level during the application process. In the mesosystem, interpreter stability is crucial for parents and students. Close collaboration between sign language interpreters and teachers is essential for adjusting teaching methods and seating arrangements, and interpreters should possess qualities like enthusiasm, patience, and an understanding of students’ psychological development. At the exosystem level, higher education institutions offer established systems for educational SLIS, but primary schools lack clear regulations. Budget constraints limit comprehensive provision, making it challenging to attract qualified professionals. Increased funding and improved incentives are necessary. In the macrosystem, deaf parents expect early intervention with sign language learning resources to create a conducive environment for early sign language acquisition.

The acquisition of Hong Kong Sign Language in deaf and hard-of-hearing children: A longitudinal study of sign language development in a bimodal bilingual co-enrollment programme

ABSTRACT This study followed the development of Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) proficiency in 31 deaf bimodal bilingual children (kindergarten through Primary 6) over two years. The Hong Kong Sign Language Elicitation Tool (HKSL-ET) was used at three time points to elicit the production of agreement, classifier, modal, negation, and wh-question structures. These were scored for accuracy based on specific language features, including classifier handshapes, non-manuals, phonological parameters, sign order, and use of space. Deaf children of hearing parents (dH children) showed significant improvements in accuracy for all structures and features, with most progress occurring between the first two assessments. By the third assessment, dH children showed similar performance to the deaf children of deaf parents (dD children) on most structures and features, but they were still significantly less accurate in their production of classifier constructions and use of space. This, along with an observed negative impact of later ages of acquisition on HKSL accuracy, underscores the importance of early exposure to sign language. Examining the relationship between signed and spoken language proficiency revealed a significant positive correlation between HKSL proficiency and Cantonese verbal expressive ability, suggesting that these languages may have mutually facilitative effects in terms of language development. Our findings highlight the utility of bimodal bilingual education in fostering linguistic development in deaf children.

Sign language delays in deaf 3- to 5-year-olds with deaf parents.

Research has demonstrated that deaf children of deaf signing parents (DOD) are afforded developmental advantages. This can be misconstrued as indicating that no DOD children exhibit early language delays (ELDs) because of their early access to a visual language. Little research has studied this presumption. In this study, we examine 174 ratings of DOD 3- to 5-year-old children, for whom signing in the home was indicated, using archival data from the online database of the Visual Communication and Sign Language Checklist. Our goals were to (1) examine the incidence of ELDs in a cohort of DOD children; (2) compare alternative scaling strategies for identifying ELD children; (3) explore patterns among behavioral ratings with a view toward developing a greater understanding of the types of language behaviors that may lie at the root of language delays; and (4) suggest recommendations for parents and professionals working with language-delayed DOD children. The results indicated that a significant number of ratings suggested ELDs, with a subset significantly delayed. These children likely require further evaluation. Among the less delayed group, ASL skills, rather than communication or cognition, were seen as the major concern, suggesting that even DOD children may require support developing linguistically accurate ASL. Overall, these findings support the need for early and ongoing evaluation of visual language skills in young DOD children.

209 Cochlear Implant Referral Time in Deaf Children: Are They Different Due to Parental Deafness?

Abstract Aim 95% of deaf children are born to hearing parents (DCHP) and 5% are born to Deaf parents (DCDP). Traditionally, Deaf parents have opposed cochlear implants (CIs) in deaf children as they believe CIs medicalise deafness. Delayed referral and implantation owing to parental hesitation may affect linguistic and educational outcomes. There is a lack of literature regarding the factors that may affect care provision for DCDP. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate whether DCDP were referred for cochlear implantation and underwent surgery at an older age compared to DCHP. Method This was a retrospective study carried out at a tertiary referral centre. 22 DCDP who underwent cochlear implantation between 1999 to 2021 were identified and matched to 22 DCHP. An unpaired t-test compared the differences between the age at referral and age at implantation between the 2 groups. A Pearson’s correlation determined the relationship between months till referral and months between referral and implant. SPSS v28.0 was used for statistical analysis. Results DCDP had an older mean age at referral (22.5 months) than DCHP (17.5 months, p = 0.552) and had an older mean age at implantation (33.4 months) than DCHP (31.0 months, p = 0.767) albeit this was statistically insignificant. DCDP had a significant negative correlation with the months till referral and the months between referral and implantation (r = -0.514, p = 0.017). Conclusions Future research should aim to use a larger patient sample and consider the effect of delayed referral and surgery on clinical outcomes between DCDP and DCHP.

Parenting stress and needs for social support in mothers and fathers of deaf or hard of hearing children.

Hearing parents of deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) children may experience parenting stress and social support could be a buffer to this stress. Differences in levels of these two indicators may exist between mothers and fathers. This study focuses on the parenting stress and social support needs of mothers and fathers of DHH children. Twenty-seven French parental couples of DHH children completed the Parenting Stress Index and the Family Needs Survey, a questionnaire on social support needs. Their overall stress scores showed no difference, but subdomain scores show that mothers and fathers are more stressed by the child's hyperactivity, and fathers by the child's adaptability, than parents of children with normal hearing. Mothers are more stressed than fathers by role restriction; they feel less free because of their parenting role. Fathers have a lower quality of attachment to their child than mothers. Parents have a high social support need, especially for obtaining information about their child's individual characteristics and health situation. The ranking of mothers and fathers in the top 10 needs reveals different needs profiles. Parenting stress profiles show that mothers and fathers with higher-than-normal stress levels have a greater overall need for social support than mothers and fathers with lower than normal stress levels. This study highlights the value of assessing parenting stress and social support needs in parents of DHH children for a better understanding of their situation in research and its clinical implications, as well as the importance of differentiating outcomes for mothers and fathers.

Educators’ perceptions of supporting parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing children

ABSTRACT In this article, we address the question: How do educators of the deaf and hard-of-hearing (EODs) perceive their role vis-a-vis communication modality and educational philosophy of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) children? Using an ethnographic framework, we report on findings from semi-structured interviews conducted with 16 EODs across public, private, and state levels in California. Through thematic analysis of interview transcripts, we found that EODs have strongly adopted a perspective of supporting informed parent choice. Building on a relational sociology framework, we discuss how these efforts are impacted by ableism, which permeates the network of interdependent social relations and systems that constitute the larger D/HH field. In highlighting the socially structured and produced nature of the decision-making process for parents of D/HH children (Bourdieu, P. 1977. Outline of a theory of practice. Cambridge University Press), we argue that to support informed parent choice more effectively, the entire system of relations would need to reflect on the way in which ableism and audism are pervasive throughout the system.