A Study of Social-Emotional Adjustment Patterns of Hearing-Impaired Students in Different Educational Settings

The purpose of this study was to examine the difference in social-emotional adjustment patterns among hearing-impaired students in different educational settings. Some 200 subjects were divided into four groups: (a) deaf students in public schools, (b) deaf students in residential schools, (c) hard-of-hearing students in public schools, and (d) hearing students in public schools. The results indicate that deaf students in residential schools and hearing students in public schools were the most similar in all areas of development. Hard-of-hearing students and deaf students in public schools appear to demonstrate lower levels of self-esteem than other students. Deaf students in public schools also appeared to demonstrate lower levels of social, emotional, and mature behaviors.