Signs of connection. Working with deaf parents and hearing children in a nursery setting

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Deaf adults parenting hearing children may experience communication barriers.
• These barriers can negatively affect parent-child attachment and the child's social-emotional growth.
• Parental empowerment may also be compromised in these mixed-hearing families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline a psychoanalytically-informed intervention strategy.
• To address potential communication and attachment disruptions in mixed deaf and hearing parent-child relationships.
• To support healthy development and parental empowerment within these families.

Main Methods:

• Details a psychoanalytically-informed approach.
• Focuses on interventions within a nursery setting.
• Emphasizes early intervention to prevent negative outcomes.

Main Results:

• Potential disruptions in parent-child communication and attachment identified.
• Risks to child's social-emotional development highlighted.
• Impact on parents' feelings of empowerment noted.

Conclusions:

• A specialized psychoanalytic approach can mitigate risks in mixed deaf and hearing families.
• Early intervention in nursery settings is crucial for fostering secure parent-child bonds.
• Supporting these families promotes positive child development and parental well-being.