What Are the Needs and Experiences of Low-Income Latino Parents of School-Age Children With a Hearing Loss?
[Thesis]
Christie, Michelle Anne
Bailey, Alison
UCLA
2013
UCLA
2013
This qualitative study examined the characteristics, needs, and experiences of low-income Latino families with school-age children with a hearing loss who attend a Los Angeles-based after school program focused on parent education. Latino parents self-reported the challenges they face having a child with a hearing loss in their family, and the lessons learned and applied at home to support their child with a hearing loss's development of communication skills. The outcomes of the study support current research in deafness highlighting the lack of information that parents receive once their child is diagnosed with a hearing loss, and their need for continual parent education throughout the child's critical language development years (0-6 years) as well as the school-age years. The outcomes of the study uncover salient information about the needs of low-income Latino families with children with a hearing loss and highlight the benefits of an after school program focused on ongoing parent education and support groups.