SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEAFNESS

Abstract

The aim of this study was to understand the social representations and the impact of the deafness in the daily life of families with deaf children. Methods : To reach this aim, qualitative methodology was adopted using interviews with open-ended questions as tool to collect data.Fifteen parents of deaf children who attended a rehabilitation center were interviewed. Results: The deafness was represented as a “weight”, “a suffering”, “a upset”, “a overload”, producing guilty conscience and difficulty of acceptance by these families, while rehabilitation refer to ideas like “socialization”, “respect” and “acceptance” in the social environment..Conclusion: The knowledge of the representations and expectations of the deaf people parents, brought back information to formulate new ways of assistance to them. Moreover, the living together with the deafness and other deaf people made possible to them share their feelings, doubts and expectations.