Lived experiences of deaf parents: insights into pride, community, bilingualism, and barriers

Abstract

Introduction: Becoming a parent is a deeply personal process that changes the dynamics of one’s social and psychological worlds. Parenthood also exists within the context of cultural and, for those who give birth, medical backgrounds. Little is known about how those who identify as deaf experience navigating resources, medical and educational professionals, and support systems in parenthood. Methods: This study investigates the lived experiences of N = 37 deaf parents using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Four primary themes were constructed from the data. The first was that many deaf parents felt a clear sense of pride and confidence in themselves and in their children. It was also obvious that deaf parents benefitted from the support of their family, friends, and their communities. A third theme was the importance and sometimes the challenges of navigating children’s bimodal bilingualism. Finally, deaf parents faced some common barriers: limited access to information and support, experiences of prejudice and discrimination, and the added stress and effort required to advocate for themselves and their children. Discussion: Overall, this study offers important insight into the experiences of deaf parents, shedding new light on the ways in which deaf parents access information and professionals related to child development, and on their experiences of parenthood overall.