Relationships Among Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing Siblings: Developing a Sense of Self.
Adva Eichengreen, Anat Zaidman-Zait
PMID 31875906WHAT IT FOUND
Ten young adults with hearing loss described having a sibling with hearing loss as a source of closeness and identity support.
They felt less isolated because they shared an experience of being different. Parents' attitudes to deafness shaped whether siblings felt close or distant.
Key findings
01Participants described a sense of 'alikeness' with their sibling that reduced feelings of isolation and helped normalize their own hearing loss within a hearing family.
02Siblings provided emotional and practical support, such as helping each other navigate family conversations or university life, though this closeness sometimes isolated them from others.
03When parents held negative or denying attitudes toward deafness, participants reported greater emotional distance and less communication with their DHH siblings.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=10) and specific: all participants used spoken language, were in mainstream schools, and did not use sign language as their main mode. Findings may not apply to Deaf families, signing siblings, or those in deaf schools. The study relied on retrospective accounts from young adults, which may be subject to memory bias. Participants were recruited from a larger cohort, and only 10 of 13 who responded took part, potentially excluding those with particularly difficult sibling relationships. The first author is a hard-of-hearing researcher with a DHH sibling, which may influence interpretation, although reflexivity was attempted.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. The first author is a hard-of-hearing researcher with a hard-of-hearing sibling.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that having a DHH sibling automatically leads to a supportive relationship. The study found that parental attitudes heavily influenced whether siblings felt close or distant. Negative parental views on deafness were associated with emotional distance and lack of communication between siblings.