Date of Award
5-16-2025
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Lori Day
Second Advisor
Deborah Schooler
Abstract
This exploratory qualitative study (n=8) investigated the mental health effects of lack of reciprocity in accommodation and the resulting accommodative burden on deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Lack of reciprocity occurs when the split of the burden for communication accommodations falls significantly more on the deaf or hard of hearing individual. The resulting accommodative burden occurs when deaf and hard of hearing individuals adapt to make communication easier for hearing people at a level that is uncomfortable, unwanted, and/or detrimental to their needs. Effects, determined by participant responses, were examined via semi-structured interviews and analyzed via thematic analysis. Relationships appear to be negatively impacted to some extent when the burden is present, with the opposite true in relationships with more reciprocal investment in communication. Participants report feeling frustrated, exhausted, isolated, and angry and report negative perceptions of hearing people when experiencing high accommodative burdens but do not report negative self perceptions. Accommodative burdens may occur even when interpreters are provided due to interpreter-related accommodative labor. The study provides other deaf and hard of hearing individuals with the vocabulary to more easily and effectively explain the accommodative burden and accommodative labor as it impacts their lived experiences.
Recommended Citation
Becktel, Lorelei, "The Cost of Accommodative Burdens: Prevalence & Impact on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals" (2025). Undergraduate University Honors Capstones. 121.
https://ida.gallaudet.edu/honors_capstones/121
