Introducing the READY Study: DHH Young people's Well-Being and Self-Determination.
Alys Young, Francisco Espinoza, Claire Dodds and 4 others
PMID 36906841WHAT IT FOUND
In DHH young people, self-determination scores predicted well-being scores far better than background factors like sex, sexuality, or deafness severity.
The cohort reported low well-being overall, with only 3% in the high range.
Key findings
01Self-determination scores explained 37.7% of the variance in well-being scores, whereas sociodemographic variables alone explained only 11.6%.
02Only 3% of the cohort recorded high subjective well-being, compared with an expected 15% in the general population.
03LGBTQ+ participants had significantly lower scores for both self-determination and subjective well-being than heterosexual participants.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was self-selecting and over-represented severe and profound deafness, higher socioeconomic status, and educational achievement. Young people with severe intellectual disabilities or language deprivation were excluded. The study is cross-sectional at baseline, so it cannot prove that improving self-determination causes better well-being. Most analyses used written English versions of tests, limiting generalizability to those who rely primarily on signed languages. Deafness characteristics were based on self-report rather than clinical audiometry.
Declared interests
Funded by the National Deaf Children’s Society. The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that improving self-determination will improve well-being. This is a cross-sectional study showing association, not causation, and the authors explicitly note that definitive evidence for the effectiveness of self-determination interventions is not yet established.