Comparisons of Social Competence in Young Children With and Without Hearing Loss: A Dynamic Systems Framework

Abstract

This study compared levels of social competence and language development in 74 young children with hearing loss and 38 hearing peers aged 2.5-5.3 years. This study was the first to examine the relationship between oral language and social competence using a dynamic systems framework in children with and without hearing loss. We hypothesized that, due to deficits in oral language, children who were deaf would display lower levels of social competence than their hearing peers. Furthermore, language age would predict social competence scores. Social competence was measured with a general and deaf-specific measure. Results showed that children with hearing loss performed significantly worse than hearing peers on the general measure but better than the norms on the deaf-specific measure. Controlling for maternal education and income, regression analyses indicated that hearing status and language age predicted social competence in both groups. Among children with hearing loss, correlations were also found between age at diagnosis, age at amplification, and two of the general social competence measures. Results supported our hypothesis that deficits in language would have cascading negative effects on the development of social competence in young deaf children. Development of early intervention programs that target both language and social skills are needed for this population.

A Study on Hopelessness Levels in Children With and Without Hearing Impairment

“…In this study, 11.1% of the fathers are illiterate and 82.725% of them are primary school graduates, respectively. These results are consistent with findings of Hoffman et al (2015).…”

“…However, Sahin (2009) found that educational level of father has no impact on hopelessness levels of healthy children. In addition, Hoffman, Quittner, and Cejas (2015) determined that educational levels of families who have children with hearing impairment are quite low. In this study, 11.1% of the fathers are illiterate and 82.725% of them are primary school graduates, respectively.…”

Comparisons of Longitudinal Trajectories of Social Competence

“…25,38 The results strongly supported the dynamic systems model, which posits that deficits in one area of development have cascading effects on other areas. 15,17,18 In particular, children with hearing loss, who have delays in language, may be at increased risk for delays in social competence and related developmental domains. Our results showed that children with CIs had significant delays in social competence across time compared to their hearing peers, even 8 years after implantation .…”

“…9,10 Children with hearing loss, who have delays in language, may be at increased risk for delays in social competence and related sequelae. 11-15 The purpose of this study was to compare social competence over time in children with cochlear implants (CIs) and their hearing peers over 5 years.…”

Aggression Behaviors in Children with and without Hearing Impairment

“…Hearing impairment may cause many problems in the development of the child. Since children with hearing impairment don't have fully developed speaking and listening skills and they are unable to speak functionally, they have deficiencies in terms of social and communicational skills and it is quite possible for these children to encounter difficulties in communication with the outside world (Hummel & Schirman, 1984;Leigh & Stinson, 1991;Van Oyen et al, 2001;Scheetz, 2004;Hoffman et al, 2015). The negativities experienced by hearing-impaired children when entering the socialization process without the chance to choose differ from their peers and these negativities considered as unreachable boundaries despair them; and therefore, aggressive behaviors, low self-esteem, despair, worthlessness and the feelings of anger and frustration arise in these children.…”