Reflection-Impulsivity in Total Communication and Oral Deaf and Hearing Children: A Developmental Study

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship of the cognitive style of reflection-impulsivity to communication mode (oral or total communication) and age in deaf and hearing boys. The Porteus Maze Test, Matching Familiar Figures Test, and a behavioral observation in the classroom were administered to 71 deaf and hearing children, at two age levels: 6 to 10 years and 11 to 15 years. Results indicate that the deaf groups were more impulsive than the hearing children on some of the measures. No significant differences were found between the oral and total communication groups. Significant differences between age groups were found for both the deaf and hearing subjects, with the older group exhibiting less impulsivity than the younger group.