The Impact of a Child Hearing Impairment on Parents and Its Relationship with Some Variables

The aim of the study was to identify the effects of hearing impairment on the family. To achieve this purpose. a questionnaire was completed by 114 fathers and 39 mothers of hearing impaired children enrolled in Riyadh centers for the hearing impaired. Questionnaires measured three areas: family stress. communication with the hearing impaired child. and relationships with professionals and others outside the family. Results of the study revealed: 1. Mean scores of mothers and fathers did not differ significantly on stress factors. although fathers tended to eitpress more stress. Mothers expressed more confidence in their abilities to communicate with the hearing impaired child. 2. Sex of the child did not significantly affect parents‘ scores. although child's birth order and age appeared to have substantial effects. 3. The degree of a child‘s hearing loss had significant effect on parents’ scores in the three areas. 4. Mothers of rubella and meningitis hearing impaired children had more negative scores than mothers of children with deafness related to heredity