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Trauma of abuse leads to psychological complications in deaf children

By Staff Writer

Children who are deaf or hard of hearing may face a difficult life for many reasons. However, one of the main hurdles they could be forced to overcome is parental neglect and abuse. A new study from Rochester Institute of Technology researchers has shown that these children are much more likely to suffer this treatment and that it increases their risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

For the study, the researchers surveyed 425 college students, 108 of whom were hearing-impaired. They asked these individuals about whether or not they experienced any kind of abuse before turning 16.

The results showed that the participants who had hearing problems were more than 25 percent more likely to report abuse. These individuals were also significantly more likely to have developed post-traumatic stress disorder or depression.

However, the researchers said that participants who were a member of a strong deaf community were less likely to suffer from these complications of abuse. This may be a key part of mitigating the effects of childhood trauma, they concluded.