ArticleBMC public health2025
"At home, I never felt included, I always felt on the outside": Deaf peoples' perspectives on how inadequate access to childhood communication influences mental health outcomes.
Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Through deaf eyes: factors influencing suicidal behavior among deaf adults.Journal of deaf studies and deaf education · 2026Article
- Adolescent Mental Health and Health-Related Behaviors Across Language-Based School Systems in South Tyrol, Italy.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundThe prevalence of adverse mental health outcomes experienced by deaf adults - members of deaf communities connected through a shared sign language and culture is greater than that faced by their hearing counterparts. In addition to everyday life stressors, deaf people can experience further communication related stressors. For this group, early life communication and language deprivation is a significant contributing factor to subsequent adverse mental health outcomes. This study aimed to understand how deaf people viewed the impact of inadequate access to early life communication on their mental health across their life.
methodsOne-on-one semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 16 deaf Australian adults who identified as having mental health challenges. Interviews were conducted in Auslan and inductively coded using thematic analysis.
resultsParticipants attributed various forms of mental ill-health to interactions with people who could not sign, particularly within the family and school environments. Proximal stressors such as language dissonance, identity confusion, cross-cultural code-switching, and distrust were identified by participants. Distal stressors included three themes: bullying, exclusion, and marginalisation and ostracism. These stressors were perceived to be linked to experiences of mental ill health including periods of exhaustion, anger, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.
conclusionsThe study highlights deaf Australians' perceived negative impacts from proximal and distal communication-related stressors during childhood on mental health outcomes. Addressing communication barriers in childhood through the implementation of interventions and support strategies may help to avoid adverse mental health outcomes for deaf adults.
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