Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Addressing The Need For Depression Inventories In American Sign Language, Josephine F. Wilson, Michelle Niehaus, Jared A. Embree, Deb S. Guthmann, Steven R. Sligar, Janet C. Titus, Annie Welch, Kathy Taylor

JADARA

Using state-of-the-art techniques, the authors interpreted two commonly used depression inventories, the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9), into American Sign Language (ASL): BDI-II-ASL and PHQ-9-ASL, respectively. A national sample of 361 deaf individuals who preferentially use ASL completed the BDI-II-ASL and PHQ-9-ASL online. BDI-II-ASL and PHQ-9-ASL scores were significantly and positively correlated. The results showed no significant differences in scores due to gender, Deaf cultural identification, race, ethnicity, or employment status. However, the results did show that less education was significantly associated with higher depression scores. The BDI-II-ASL and PHQ-9-ASL require norming in a comparative …

Language Deprivation Is A Game Changer For The Clinical Specialty Of Deaf Mental Health, Neil S. Glickman, Charlene Crump, Steve Hamerdinger

JADARA

In this paper, the medical, social and historical forces resulting in much smaller numbers of deaf children having quality access to natural sign languages are presented. These forces mean that people who work in the clinical specialty of Deaf mental health are seeing more clients with atypical or dysfluent sign language. An historical overview of the development of this clinical specialty is outlined, followed by a discussion of how the problem of language deprivation is a “game changer” for the work of mental health clinicians, interpreters, communication assessors, and administrators of Deaf mental health services. Special attention is given to …

Post-Secondary Employment And Education Outcomes Of Young Adults Reporting Both Vision And Hearing Impairments In The High School Longitudinal Study Of 2009, Emily M. Lund

JADARA

This article reports the post-secondary education and work activities of 43 young adults who reported a history of both hearing and vision disabilities (i.e., deafblindness [DB] in Wave 4 of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Most of the sample reported having worked, attended post-secondary education, or both since completing secondary education. Approximately half of the sample still lived with their parents, and most reported receiving financial support from their parents. Thus, although engagement in work and education was relatively high, most participants had not achieved financial independence.

Application Of Self-Efficacy Training In Group Aural Rehabilitation: An Interprofessional Collaborative Model, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

Few studies have explored self-efficacy training with persons with hearing loss (PHLs), yet alone with their communication partners (CPs). The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the impact of self-efficacy training as a framework for an Interprofessional Psychosocial Group Aural Rehabilitation (IPGAR) workshop with PHLs and their CPs. Four PHLs and their four CPs consented to participate in the IPGAR workshop that employed interventions including short lectures, psychosocial exercises, communication strategies training, speech perception training, adaptive/stress reduction exercises, and group discussions relevant to mutually established shared goals for each couple. The participants reported improved communication abilities in the …

From Isolation To Communication: Connecting Adults Who Have Hearing Loss With Their Communication Partners, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

As Baby Boomers enter the late adulthood stage of life, hearing loss continues to be one of the most prevalent, chronic, and isolating conditions facing older adults today. Research has focused on the negative consequences of hearing loss on the health and the person’s well-being, but it is equally important to recognize that hearing loss also leads to communication loss. The resulting social isolation and the collateral effects of hearing loss on the communication partner are the focus of this mixed-method study that explored the hearing loss-related quality of life for both parties. Five overarching themes emerged from the analysis, …

An Interprofessional Collaborative Approach To The Development Of A Content Valid Interview Questionnaire For Persons With Hearing Loss And Their Communication Partners, Nancy A. Delich, Stephen D. Roberts

JADARA

An assessment instrument needs to be valid in order for data to be accurately interpreted and applied. Currently, few rigorous content evaluations have been conducted on hearing-related questionnaires. This study describes a multiphase approach for obtaining content validity evidence in the development of a questionnaire that explores quality of life for persons with hearing loss and their communication partners. A panel of 15 interprofessional experts evaluated 41 questionnaire items for content relevance and content clarity. Findings revealed an overall scale of .99 for content relevance and .85 for content clarity, indicating high content validity for the revised 40-item questionnaire.

Characteristics, Services, And Outcomes Of Vocational Rehabilitation Consumers Who Are Deaf-Blind, Jennifer L. Cmar, Michele C. Mcdonnall

JADARA

Limited research has been conducted regarding the characteristics, services, and outcomes of consumers served by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies in the United States who are deaf-blind. This article provides descriptive information about this population based on Rehabilitation Services Administration Case Service Report (RSA-911) data from fiscal years 2013, 2014, and 2015. The article also includes a discussion of inconsistencies in use of disability category codes to classify VR consumers who are deaf-blind, emphasizing the need for agencies to utilize a consistent classification system that reflects the diverse characteristics of this population.

Prevalence Of Alcohol Use: A National Survey Of Deaf Adults In The United States, Poorna Kushalnagar, Traciann Hoglind, Abbi N. Simons, Debra Guthmann

JADARA

Objective: Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances in the United States. Alcohol consumption has been linked to several sociodemographic and social characteristics in the general population. Research is needed to understand the prevalence of and characteristics related to alcohol use in Deaf adults. Our study purpose was to determine nation-wide prevalence of alcohol use and investigate characteristics related to alcohol consumption in Deaf adults in the United States.

Methods: Secondary data were drawn from the Health Information National Trends in American Sign Language (HINTS-ASL). Self-reported data from 1272 Deaf adults (56% female) were used to …

Advancements In Treatment For Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Implications For Rehabilitation Professionals, Shawn P. Saladin, Yasar Tasnif, Bianca Cruz, Robert B. Perez

JADARA

Rehabilitation professionals often work with individuals with sensorineural hearing loss. Sometimes the hearing loss is due to ototoxic medications that are prescribed as treatments for other conditions. An understanding of the types of ototoxic medications at the root of the sensorineural hearing loss combined with an understanding of the advancements in treatments will help the rehabilitation professional better serve consumers who fit this description.