Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychological and physical well-being in 6-11-year-old hearing-impaired children.
Methods: The cohort consisted of 70 boys and 61 girls who either attended a special school for deaf children (n=78) or a mainstream school (n=53). We used the FKSI (Frankfurt Self-Concept Scales for Children).
Results: Children in special schools saw themselves in a less favourable light than children in mainstream schools. They were less confident and less assertive. They reached lower scores in making friends, and were more anxious and sad. Children attending mainstream schools were found to be more self-confident the more pronounced the hearing loss was, but reported lower well-being in higher classes. The physical well-being, however, was not affected in children with hearing impairment.
Conclusions: Differences in the self-perception of hearing-impaired children and normal-hearing children must be taken into consideration when making a decision about the appropriate type of school for these individuals.