A Study on Social Support, Subjective Happiness, and Coping Among Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D&HH)
Keywords:
Social Support, Subjective Happiness, Coping, Deaf, Hard of HearingAbstract
The study explored the psychological well-being of individuals with audiological impairments, identifying themselves as "deaf" or "hard of hearing" (D&HH), and their capacity to cope with their condition. The main objective was to assess perceived social support, coping mechanisms, and subjective happiness among D&HH individuals and understand the potential impact of their hearing condition on these aspects of their lives. To achieve this, the study focused on adults aged 18 to 40 years who identified as D&HH and collected data from educational institutions and colleges catering to this population in Kerala, India, using a purposive sampling technique. The research design employed was correlational. The research tools used were Sociodemographic details, the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPS), Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS), and the Brief Cope scale. The study's findings revealed that perceived social support did not significantly influence subjective happiness and coping among D&HH individuals. However, a notable relationship was observed between subjective happiness and coping strategies, suggesting that how individuals cope with their hearing condition can have an impact on their happiness. Interestingly, no significant gender differences were found in perceived social support, subjective happiness, and coping among D&HH individuals. Additionally, there was no significant difference in these aspects between those who identified as "Deaf" and "Hard of Hearing," indicating that the severity of hearing impairment did not play a significant role in their perceived social support, subjective happiness, and coping levels. Study emphasizes D&HH individuals' mental health complexities; supports understanding and care with unique coping.
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