Exploring the lived experiences of hearing mothers of Deaf children in Lebanon: A phenomenological study

The conceptualization of deafness is predominantly centered around two perspectives: the medical model which pathologizes hearing loss and congenital deafness as something to fix, and the sociocultural model which views deafness as a cultural identity. Deaf communities have their own distinct culture, values, history, art, language and mode of communication. However, not every deaf person necessarily identifies with these communities. The purpose of this study was to explore hearing mothers’ experiences of raising a Deaf child in Lebanon. Five participants were recruited through the Lebanese Center for the Deaf. The mothers had a Deaf child aged 10 to 15 years old at the time of the interview. The study aimed to formulate themes portraying the lived experience of these mothers and examine their meaning-making through an in-depth phenomenological approach. The research method adopted is an interpretative phenomenological analysis.
The superordinate themes are: ‘Mother’s reaction to her child’s deafness: from denial to finding solutions’, ‘Mother’s meaning-making and acceptance of deafness’, ‘Societal and family reactions to deafness, ‘guilt towards other children and informal support received’, ‘Challenges faced and journey with the medical field: from diagnosis to rehabilitation’, and ‘The choice of education and communication strategies implemented’.
The findings present the mothers’ meaning-making and formulation of motherhood through the grieving process upon hearing the diagnosis. The responsibility and inevitable decisions taken by the mothers created tremendous uneasiness. The choice of hearing devices, schools, and communication strategies affected the child’s development and interactions.
Suggestions for practice and future research pertains to the formal and informal support offered to mothers and their families following their needs. Further research is needed to explore the lived experiences of people in the Deaf community in Lebanon and their families to improve services presented by practitioners in contact with this population.