Research shows deaf children are more frequently maltreated than their hearing peers

By Staff Writer

New research from the Rochester Institute of Technology reveals that neglect, physical and sexual abuse occur more frequently to children who are deaf or hard of hearing. According to the study, which was presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, maltreatment is 25 percent more common in children who are hearing-impaired.

For the research, scientists surveyed 425 college students - 317 of whom are hearing and 108 of whom are deaf - on maltreatment they had experienced prior to the age of 16. A total of 77 percent of deaf and hard-of-hearing respondents reported some form of child abuse, compared to 49 percent among hearing participants.

Lindsay Schenkel, assistant professor of psychology at RIT and director of the research team, said that they hoped to raise awareness of childhood maltreatment in the deaf community and provide mental-health professionals with the data to better treat those who suffer from mental illnesses.

Schenkel added that research shows that people who are active in the deaf community experience fewer depressive symptoms.