Social-Emotional Development in Children and Youth Who Are Deafblind

Social-emotional development is important to personal adjustment and well-being. Little has been written about social-emotional development in children and youth who are deafblind. The authors discuss factors in typical social-emotional development—attachment, empathy, and friendships—and how they may be challenged in children who are deaf-blind. Also reviewed are factors that place children who are deafblind at risk for delays in social-emotional development. Finally, the possible benefits of inclusion to the social-emotional development of children who are deafblind are examined.