PhD defence
Being deaf at the playground: the effect of hearing loss on children's social participation
- B.M. De Sousa da Silva
- Date
- Wednesday 12 February 2025
- Time
- Location
-
Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden
Supervisor(s)
- Prof.dr. C. Rieffe
- Prof.dr.ir. J.H.M. Frijns
- Prof.dr. B. Güroglu
Summary
Playgrounds are vital spaces for children’s social and emotional development, offering opportunities to explore, interact with peers, and acquire social norms. For Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) preschoolers, however, these interactions often present unique challenges. DHH children face barriers to social participation due to several factors such as noisy environments and fast-paced peer dynamics. These barriers can limit their opportunities for social learning, often leading to more solitary behaviors. This research examines the social and emotional functioning of DHH children in comparison to their hearing peers, with a focus on playground and play behaviors.
Regarding playground behaviours, DHH preschoolers in the current study showed more solitary behaviours than their hearing peers. Regarding play, differences were also found, as DHH preschoolers spent more time in physical play and less time in pretend play compared to their hearing peers, therefore preferring a less verbally dependent type of play. Yet, these differences were unrelated to children’s social and emotional competencies specifically as these were comparable in children and without hearing loss their hearing peers.
Although the positive results are revealing of DHH preschoolers’ resilience in navigating the social hearing world, the current research underscores the importance of addressing aspects of the physical social environment to foster equity. Poor playground acoustics and a lack of peer and adult understanding contribute to the social challenges faced by DHH children. Therefore, reshaping the playground environment and promoting awareness on how to communicate with a DHH child, can promote equal opportunities to engage meaningfully with peers.
PhD dissertations
Approximately one week after the defence, PhD dissertations by Leiden PhD students are available digitally through the Leiden Repository, that offers free access to these PhD dissertations. Please note that in some cases a dissertation may be under embargo temporarily and access to its full-text version will only be granted later.
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