Understanding identity construction among deaf adolescents and young adults: implications for the delivery of person and family-centered care in audiological rehabilitation.

The sample size was very small (n=5), limiting the transferability of findings. All participants attended special schools for the deaf, which may skew perspectives on belonging and exclude the experiences of those in mainstream settings. The study excluded individuals with additional impairments, so findings do not apply to those with complex needs. Data was collected in a specific South African context, where socioeconomic factors and local Deaf culture influence identity. Generalizability was not intended, and findings should be applied cautiously to other populations.

The authors received financial support from the University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences Research Committee Awards. No other conflicts of interest were declared.

Do not interpret these five narratives as a universal model of deaf adolescent identity. The participants all attended special schools in South Africa, a context that likely fostered a stronger sense of belonging and positive self-concept than might be found in mainstream or different cultural settings. Clinicians should not assume that distancing from disability is the healthy norm for all deaf adolescents, as identity construction is highly individual and context-dependent.