Parents' Perceptions and Needs for their Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the perceptions of parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) regarding the support and services provided to them and their children. One hundred fifty-eight parents of children who are DHH were surveyed. The survey questions focused on five areas: early identification, hearing technology, communication, education, and social support. The results indicated that (a) a variety of services are available and have been received by some parents, (b) parents reported an average level of satisfaction towards the services and supports received, and (c) all services listed are needed. Additionally, parents identified problems and offered solutions to improve the services and support for their children. The need for more research in the KSA is noted in order to obtain a more in-depth understanding of parents' perceptions and needs.