Comparing Deaf School and Mainstream Student-Athletes' Mental Health: Depression, Anxiety and Risk Factors

Author

Ella Gamble

Date of Award

5-15-2025

Document Type

Thesis

First Advisor

Tom McKnight

Second Advisor

Leslie Rach

Abstract

The deaf community is diverse, including individuals from all different backgrounds. Sports are a large part of the community and are advocated for the deaf community. However, the mental impacts of sports within the deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) collegiate athlete population has received very little scholarly attention, especially in regards to their varying upbringings. Anxiety and depression are mental health issues (MHI) that have gained increasing attention in the hearing sports community, but this also extends to DHH student-athletes based on empirical evidence. This study focuses on the differences of MHIs in DHH student-athletes at Gallaudet University. The student-athletes are split into two groups based on which schools/programs they were raised in: deaf school and mainstream. A survey was conducted to determine and compare the prominence of the likelihood of anxiety and depression in these student-athletes, along with the risk factors of MHIs. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale was used to determine if the athlete had the likelihood of anxiety or depression. The responses were split up into a deaf school group and a mainstream group and compared. It was discovered that mainstream student-athletes with mild/moderate hearing loss had a higher likelihood of depression compared to those from deaf schools. This finding could be influenced by their teammate relationships, which was a major factor negatively affecting these student-athletes’ mental health. Other findings among severe/profound hearing loss and male and female tests did not show statistical differences between the two groups, due to a small sample size. Overall, this study aims to reveal the differences in the risk factors for and prevalence of anxiety and depression within these two groups, deaf school and mainstream student-athletes, based on their upbringing and participation in sports.

Recommended Citation

Gamble, Ella, "Comparing Deaf School and Mainstream Student-Athletes' Mental Health: Depression, Anxiety and Risk Factors" (2025). Undergraduate University Honors Capstones. 126.
https://ida.gallaudet.edu/honors_capstones/126