Personality traits and loneliness in school-aged children with perceived hearing difficulties: results from a large-scale Norwegian study.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the associations between perceived hearing difficulties and both personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness) and loneliness among school-aged children in Norway. Design: Data were drawn from an ongoing population-based survey conducted in primary schools in two Norwegian counties. The sample included 6,049 children between 10 and 13 years of age. Perceived hearing difficulties were self-reported via a single questionnaire item. Personality traits were measured through a set of self-report items. Mean scores were computed for each trait. Loneliness was assessed with a single-item measure on a 0-10 scale. Hierarchical regression analyses examined the associations between perceived hearing difficulties and each outcome. For personality traits, models were adjusted for gender and class grade; for loneliness, the analysis additionally adjusted for personality traits. Results: Children with perceived hearing difficulties had significantly lower conscientiousness and higher neuroticism scores than peers without perceived hearing difficulties. No significant association was found for extraversion. They also experienced higher levels of loneliness than peers without perceived hearing difficulties. Conclusion: Perceived hearing difficulties are associated with distinct personality profiles among school-aged children, characterized by higher emotional vulnerability and lower persistence (or goal-oriented behavior) and also higher levels of loneliness. These findings highlight the importance of supporting psychological and emotional well-being in inclusive education practices for children with hearing difficulties.