Resilience in the face of trauma is an important yet elusive construct in human development. While there are prevalent data suggesting high rates of trauma among deaf individuals, valuable insight on how resilience evolves among deaf individuals within the context of trauma has yet to be explored sufficiently. This study explored the concept of resilience through semi-structured interviews with a total of 19 experienced mental health providers. Using an applied thematic analysis approach, the following five themes were identified as crucial protective factors in resilience processes: individual assets, identity development, access to language and communication, access to information, and supportive networks. Findings both confirm previous findings about resilience as well as identify unique protective factors for deaf individuals with trauma. The discussion explores those protective factors and their role as resources for social services professionals and deaf individuals in efforts to support resilience.

in a variety of contexts, deaf individuals often must navigate multiple societal, psychological, and physical barriers. It is frequently proposed that role models meet an important need for successful navigation in such contexts. The present article, a research synthesis, explores available literature on role models for deaf individuals, drawing from social capital theory to conceptualize how individuals in social networks can facilitate the development of resources necessary for navigating various settings. Four key themes were identified, two being that role models (a) address a critical need and (b) contribute to important developmental processes. In addition, (c) key elements appear to be necessary for effective role modeling, and (d) multidimensional cultural affiliations are important considerations within the role model process. Though more research is needed, the findings suggest that role models play an important role in how deaf individuals build social capital.

Successfully obtaining employment is a pivotal developmental milestone for many young adults, yet for some, is beyond reach. Despite advances in accessibility legislation and academic attainment, deaf young adults in the United States continue to face underemployment and underpayment. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of autonomy in the developmental process for deaf adolescents as they navigate the transition from adolescence to early adulthood and enter the workforce. A secondary analysis of a large-scale dataset, the second National Longitudinal Transition Study (NLTS2), was conducted to test a longitudinal model of how parental beliefs and attitudes contribute to autonomy development, and in turn, how autonomous orientations and actions exhibited by deaf youths contribute to employment outcomes. The findings indicate that autonomy plays a significant role in the transition towards sustainable employment for deaf young adults. Parental expectations emerged as important antecedents of autonomy development for deaf adolescents, contributing both to autonomous motivations and independent functioning. Deaf adolescents' autonomy is linked to employment opportunities with greater opportunities for advancement and higher income, and thus offers the field a potential avenue for strengthening pathways towards sustainable employment for deaf individuals.

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Social skills are a vehicle by which individuals negotiate important relationships. The present article presents historical data on how social skills in deaf students were conceptualized and studied empirically during the period 1990-2015. Using a structured literature review approach, the researchers coded 266 articles for theoretical frameworks used and constructs studied. The vast majority of articles did not explicitly align with a specific theoretical framework. Of the 37 that did, most focused on socioemotional and cognitive frameworks, while a minority drew from frameworks focusing on attitudes, developmental theories, or ecological systems theory. In addition, 315 social-skill constructs were coded across the data set; the majority focused on socioemotional functioning. Trends in findings across the past quarter century and implications for research and practice are examined.