Social and Psychological Impacts of Hearing Impairment and the Role of Audiologist - Essay Example

SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACTS OF HEARING IMPAIRMENT AND THE ROLE OF AUDIOLOGIST Introduction Through hearing, communication with close relations such as spouses and parents in addition to interaction with the outside world is made effectively possible. As one of the core senses, hearing is sophisticated with the process of hearing being coordinated from the brain and through the delicate organs within the ear. Damage to the auditory system often leads to total or partial hearing impairment. Fileccia (2011, p. 174) points out that the society often considers people with damaged auditory systems as educationally and mentally inadequate because they are not able to hear spoken language. Harkin and Kelleher (2011, p. 22) add that the relationship of auditory impaired individuals and their family has also been challenged by the limitations and barriers in communication which is characteristics of this condition. The fact that social development relies on communication, social and psychological problems are common among the partially or completely deaf individuals (Richburg, 2011, p. 445). These challenges are characterized by behavioral problems and poor interpersonal relationships. This essay gives a critical analysis and discussion of the impact of the damage to the auditory systems on the self worth and interpersonal relations abilities of the auditory impaired. The essay focuses on the implication of hearing impairment on the relationship of the patients with their spouses, parents and the society in general. Moreover, the essay discusses the role that audiologists should play in order to improve the life experiences of the hearing impaired individual within various systems in the society. Social and Psychological Effects of Hearing Impairment Hearing impaired patients often suffer from social, physical and psychological disorders which affects the patient’s communication with others. Harkin and Kelleher (2011, p. 23) asserts that children with impaired auditory apparatus are dissatisfied with the kind of relationship that they have with their parents. Furthermore, children with hearing disorder argue that their parents miss a larger part and details of their life (Harkin and Kelleher, 2011, p. 23). This is so because hearing loss gets in the way of the children who try to achieve understanding from their parents and the expression of their feelings about what they go through on daily basis. According to Luey, Glass and Elliott (1995, p. 177), the manner in which the hearing impaired people experience life, their attitudes and perceptions in addition to their relationships with other members of the society and family depend on the way in which the people within their social environment accept their condition. However acceptance of the patient’s condition alone is not likely to provide an effective solution to the needs that the hearing impaired individuals have for enhanced relationship with family, friends and the society in general. Richburg (2011, p. 448), argues that a person whose auditory systems are partially or completely damaged may have a positive attitude towards life and thus an enhanced life experience. This is achieved if their spouses, parents and the community accept their condition and provides support and understanding for the condition. This argument is based on the assertion of Breivik (2005, p. 18) that the major disability of the hearing impaired is the failure of the community, parents, spouses, peers, colleagues and the society in general to accept, understand and support them. The relationship between hearing impaired individuals with their spouses is affected because the affected people usually feel like it is their fault that they are impaired which leads to feelings of being ignored (Roush, 2010, p. 215). It has also been found out that romantic relationships have been affected negatively by hearing loss because the affected people would get paranoid and hence feel that they are not being appreciated. However it has to be noted that hearing loss can be overcome through hearing aids and sign language. According to Luey, Glass and Elliott (1995, p. 178), children with hearing loss have revealed that there is a lot of information that they do not share with their parents. Additionally a spouse who has a hearing impairment finds it hard to communicate some vital details with the partner. This leads to a situation where the hearing impaired individuals do not experience an enhanced relationship with their loved ones. Fileccia (2011, p. 179) affirms that the psychological problems and challenges that the hearing impaired people face are primarily caused by the deficiencies that are related to communication. This leads to poor interpersonal relationships between these individuals and their loved ones and the society. Moreover, the constraints that some individuals with damaged auditory apparatus have in learning non verbal communication approaches worsen their relationships with the family and the community as said by Martin and Bat-Chava (2003, p. 511). As a result, people with hearing impairment who come from supportive families and society are usually motivated and have a high perception of life as compared to those who feel alienated by the society. There are differences between adults and children in the manner in which the hearing impairment affects their psychosocial well being. Fileccia (2011, p. 177) points out that children who have auditory impairment often exhibit social isolation, learning difficulties and may be aggressive or hyperactive. Pray and Jordan (2010, p. 168) explain that some children with damaged auditory systems demonstrate poor development of their social maturity especially those whose contact with their families is limited. This is due to the lack of adequate support and thus making them to have limited awareness of the social environment and how they should relate to other people. Because of such circumstances, such children develop a low opinion of self worth when they grow. Moreover, the relationship that they have with their loved ones, friends and peers is worsened by the fact that their social development is not in line with their age. As a result, such individuals feel left out in the social forums. Harkin and Kelleher (2011, p. 27) reflects that normal spouses who are married to hearing impaired individuals more often feel ignored because their partner cannot hear them. This demonstrates that the impact of hearing impairment on love and family relationships emanates from the feelings of both the normal individuals and the impaired ones depending on the limitations in communications which result from the hearing problem. Luey, Glass and Elliott (1995, p. 178) explain that it is through determination and self motivation that individuals with damaged auditory systems can be able to overcome the social immaturity and learn how they should relate with their spouses, family and peers and thus feel accepted and loved. On the other hand, the normal individuals within the family must understand the hearing problem which their loved ones ace so that they would effectively cope with the problem. In accordance to Richburg (2011, p. 457), parents often overly protect their children when they have an auditory impairment. Additionally, a spouse whose partner has auditory impaired often expresses an overly protective behavior within the relationship. The protectiveness of the family members of the hearing impaired persons would be attributed to their limitation in social skills as explained by Martin and Bat-Chava (2003, p. 514). Family members and friends of the individuals with damaged auditory systems often overly protect these individuals from social systems. This makes these individual less outgoing when they are young, a personality which persist when they become adults. This situation can therefore be the viable explanation for the reason why some of the hearing impaired people have difficulties in relating with others. However the protectiveness of the family and friends over these individuals is usually motivated by their determination in improving their well being. Adults with hearing impairment often learn to adjust to the social and psychological disorders that are caused hearing impairment. According to Sullivan (2010, p. 74), disorders such as anger, depression and withdrawal or isolation from family members and the society are usually well managed by adults as compared to children. The desperation of the society in trying to communicate with individuals with damaged auditory systems is described by Breivik (2005, p. 19) as the root cause of their challenges in interacting with community members. Communication between a normal person and a hearing impaired individual often requires special skills and as a result lack of these skills makes them to ignore communication with the impaired individuals. This leads to a negative perception of the auditory challenged people on the community. They feel neglected and thus make them to have a low opinion on their self worth. Johnson, et al (2008, p. 171) convincingly argue that communication is the cornerstone of relationship building within a love relationship or between parents and their children. Therefore when communication processes between the auditory impaired and the loved ones are limited, the relationship between these parties is also compromised. Fileccia (2011, p. 177) emphasizes that because individuals with auditory impairment have challenges communicating with their loved ones and other members of the society, they often develop a low opinion of their self worth and thus alienate themselves from groups. From these assertions, it is necessary to note that the spouses of hearing impaired adults and parents of young people with hearing loss are mandated to recognize the possible psychological signs which would develop within the affected due to the impairment. This will help them to provide adequate support for them and hence prevent them from feeling isolated and having a low self esteem. Luey, Glass and Elliott (1995, p. 181) note that within learning institutions, there is significant stigma that is attached to auditory impairment especially among the youth. Pray and Jordan (2010, p. 168) explain that psychological evaluation of people with hearing impairment often demonstrates issues of low self esteem and self worth. On the other hand Martin and Bat-Chava (2003, p. 519) says that people with auditory and speech impairments often associate within themselves more than they do with the normal family members and with social systems. This demonstrates that these individuals have challenges in social interaction and creating relationships. Breivik (2005, p. 23) argues that even in an environment which is considered to be very supportive to the auditory impaired people, isolation of some degree is likely to be noted especially with a greater degree of auditory impairment that an individual has. Moreover, the hearing impaired people who are able to overcome societal challenges and attain educational achievement and social status are often accepted more than the uneducated auditory impaired people as illustrated by Pray and Jordan (2010, p. 172). Role of Audiologist Roush (2010, p. 218) asserts that the role of an audiologist in the management of hearing loss when it has already occurred include encouraging the affected individuals to use hearing aids. The audiologist plays this role by first evaluating the choices of the affected individual, the family members and spouses. Additionally, the audiologist mediates programs such as seminars in which the hearing impaired are encouraged to enhance their life experiences through hearing aids and support from their loved ones (Harkin and Kelleher, 2011, p. 22). Audiologists perform, give an interpretation and utilize the necessary diagnostic tests. Johnson, et al (2008, p. 171) add that the testing of auditory hearing problems by audiologists helps them to apply a role of mediating amplification and fitting of the hearing aids. Nevertheless, audiologists’ main role is to ensure that the affected individuals are helped to know how they would use the hearing aids to enhance communication with their loved ones. The audiologists also give professional advice to spouses and parents on how they would best communicate with their loved ones who have auditory impairment. Richburg (2011, p. 445) explains that audiologists play a role of recommending evidence based approaches to communication among loved ones when one of them has impaired auditory apparatus. The roles of audiologists also include determination of loudness growth contours and the word recognition scores of the patient. Johnson, et al (2008, p. 175) explain that these parameters are used by the audiologist to recommend the most effective approaches that can be used in enhancing communication and understanding between the patient and the loved ones in addition to interaction with the society. Harkin and Kelleher (2011, p. 22) adds that the audiologist plays the role of exploring, discussing and demonstrating the Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) to patients, their loved ones or parents of the affected children. Roush (2010, p. 212) argues that audiologists also play a preventive role in which they prevent total hearing loss and thus help patients to overcome communication challenges. This makes them to have meaningful interaction and relationship with their loved ones. The preventative role of an audiologist is achieved through the design of educational, occupational and community programs for hearing conservation and early identification of auditory damage as described by Current Health (2009, p. 32). Identification of hearing problems through speech screens, determination of speech and cognitive disorders, risk factors and collaboration with other professionals are vital roles of an audiologist in mitigating the challenges that the hearing impaired people face. Through such identification, the audiologist contributes significantly to the implementation of social and medical strategies which aim at making the life experiences of the auditory impaired people as good as possible. Luey, Glass and Elliott (1995, p. 177) assert that the most important role of an audiologist in enhancing the life of people with damaged auditory apparatus is rehabilitation. Current Health (2009, p. 32) adds that audiologists also improve the lives of the deaf through their contribution to research and consultancy. Rehabilitation of an individual with damaged auditory system is crucial for enhancement of self perception, attitudes and relationship with the societal members as explained by Sullivan (2010, p. 74). The role of an audiologist in the rehabilitation of the hearing impaired is made possible through design of rehabilitative programs which are culturally acceptable and relevant. The audiologist also plays a role of recommending education programs for the family and caregivers of individuals with auditory impairment. Moreover, audiologists provide counseling on the psychosocial aspects of auditory impairment both to the victims and their families. Conclusion Patients who have been diagnosed as having hearing impairment often show multiple social and psychological disorders that affect their relationship with their loved ones. These disorders result from the negative implications of hearing loss both to adults and children and it is characterized by lowered esteem, poor personality, isolation, communication, depression, anxiety and inability to have meaningful personal relationships. Hearing impairment is usually worsened by the lack of adequate support and understanding from the community, spouses, family, peers and colleagues. Audiologists play important roles in enhancing the life experiences of the auditory impaired people. Their roles include identification, consultancy, research and contribution to rehabilitative programs for the improvement of the social and psychological lives of people with auditory impairment. References Breivik, J 2005, 'Vulnerable but strong: Deaf people challenge established understandings of deafness', Scandinavian Journal Of Public Health, 33, 5, pp. 18-23 Current Health. 2009. "Audiologist." Current Health 2, 35, no. 5: 32. Fileccia, J 2011, 'Sensitive Care for the Deaf: A Cultural Challenge', Creative Nursing, 17, 4, pp. 174-179 Harkin, H, and Kelleher, C 2011, 'Caring for older adults with hearing loss', Nursing Older People, 23, 9, pp. 22-28 Johnson, C, et al, 2008, 'Hearing and Balance Screening and Referrals for Medicare Patients: A National Survey of Primary Care Physicians', Journal Of The American Academy Of Audiology, 19, 2, pp. 171-190 Luey, H, Glass, L, and Elliott, H 1995, 'Hard-of-Hearing or Deaf: Issues of Ears, Language, Culture, and Identity', Social Work, 40, 2, pp. 177-181 Martin, D, and Bat-Chava, Y 2003, 'Negotiating deaf–hearing friendships: coping strategies of deaf boys and girls in mainstream schools', Child: Care, Health and Development, 29, 6, pp. 511-521 Pray, J, and Jordan, I 2010, 'The Deaf Community and Culture at a Crossroads: Issues and Challenges', Journal Of Social Work In Disability and Rehabilitation, 9, 2/3, pp. 168-193 Richburg, C, 2011, 'Educational Audiologists: Their Access, Benefit, and Collaborative Assistance to Speech-Language Pathologists in Schools', Language, Speech and Hearing Services In Schools, 42, 4, pp. 444-460 Roush, J 2010, 'Educational Preparation of Pediatric Audiologists', Volta Review, 110, 2, pp. 207-218 Sullivan, M 2010, 'Audiologist', Science Teacher, 77, 6, pp. 74-75 Washabaugh, W 1981, 'Sign Language in Its Social Context', Annual Review Of Anthropology, 10, pp. 237-252 Read More