A survey of the mental status at the time of diagnosis in parents of children with mild to moderate hearing loss

Abstract

　　 The subjects of this survey were 10 sets of parents of preschool-aged children with mild to moderate hearing loss. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychology of the patients from the time of the newborn hearing screening (NHS) to the present, after their children had been diagnosed as having confirmed to have hearing loss and been started on treatment and education. The survey used free-text and retrospective assessments of the Japanese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). From the free-text, there was a change from unacceptable feelings at the time of diagnosis to positive acceptance after treatment and education. EPDS evaluation showed psychological recovery in most patients from the time of diagnosis. The EPDS scores after the diagnosis of hearing loss did not differ depending on the parents' personal attributes (gender, employment, first birth/first delivery) or characteristics of the children, and no consistent trend was observed. Support for psychological recovery was consisted of professional support and peer support at the School for the Deaf. There is a need to accumulate evidence on the long-term developmental challenges in children with mild to moderate hearing loss.