Citation

Titus JC. Am. Ann. Deaf 2010; 155(1): 19-30.

Affiliation

Chestnut Health Systems, Bloomington, IL, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Conference of Educational Administration Serving the Deaf and Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf, Publisher Gallaudet University Press)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

20503905

Abstract

The author profiles the prevalence, severity, and characteristics of victimization among a group of youths with hearing loss presenting to substance abuse treatment. Intake data on 111 deaf and hard of hearing youths (42% female) were analyzed and compared with data from a weighted, gender-matched sample of hearing youths. After gender is controlled, results indicate that the hearing loss group reported more widespread, more severe abuse than that reported by their hearing peers. Physical abuse and weapon attacks were significantly more prevalent among the deaf and hard of hearing youths, while no differences in sexual or emotional abuse were observed. Youths with hearing loss also reported increased rates of abuse by a trusted person and abuse that made them fear for their lives. Substance abuse treatment of deaf and hard of hearing youths should include routine assessment of victimization and trauma-informed methods.

Language: en