Psychosocial difficulties and quality of life in children with hearing impairment and their association with parenting styles

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the psychosocial problems, quality of life and parenting styles in children with hearing impairment. A total of 84 children (42 children with hearing impairment and 42 healthy children) and their parents were included. The emotional, behavioural, peer and school-related problems were significantly higher, and self-esteem levels were significantly lower in the case group compared to the healthy children. We also determined that the parents of children with hearing impairment had overprotective and authoritarian parenting styles compared. The findings showed that there was a significant correlation between the emotional problems of children and the overprotective and authoritarian parenting style. These findings indicated that the intervention should not focus solely on the existing disabilities of these children. It also pointed at the importance of the parental attitudes in both the treatment and protection of mental health.