ERIC Number: EJ1333961
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0002-726X
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Available Date: N/A
Longing to Belong: Hard of Hearing Young Adults' Experiences of Social Identity and Group Membership
Olsson, Sylvia; Gustafsson, Christine
American Annals of the Deaf, v166 n5 p638-662 2022
Studies on hard of hearing (HH) individuals have focused mostly on children's experiences in school. However, their lives as young adults have not received much attention. The present study therefore examined HH young adults' experiences of social identity and group membership. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 individuals (10 males, 6 females) with severe to profound hearing loss. They were from diverse cultural backgrounds. A qualitative content analysis was performed with a manifest analysis. Two categories emerged: Belonging to a Social Environment and Engaging in Important Communication. The results indicate that the HH individuals, either deliberately or unconsciously, chose to be with other HH individuals because of their longing for group membership and desire to avoid being misunderstood. The participants longed for inclusion, acceptance, and opportunities to create an inclusive social environment and to communicate with others.
Descriptors: Deafness, Hearing Impairments, Young Adults, Group Membership, Identification (Psychology), Social Life, Inclusion, Social Environment, Interpersonal Communication, Interaction, Interpersonal Relationship, Foreign Countries, Mainstreaming, Special Schools, Barriers, Sign Language, Oral Language, Nonverbal Communication
Gallaudet University Press. 800 Florida Avenue NE, Denison House, Washington, DC 20002-3695. Tel: 202-651-5488; Fax: 202-651-5489; Web site: http://gupress.gallaudet.edu/annals/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Sweden
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