Academics appeal for deaf young people to take part in study on impact of hearing loss on their lives

By The Press Association9th March 2020Education & TrainingEdinburgh / Lothians, Education / Training, Manchester, Research, Sensory Impairment

Academics at the University of Edinburgh are asking for deaf young people to take part in a study.

The research, done in partnership with the University of Manchester and funded by the National Deaf Children’s Society, will assess the early experiences of young people who are deaf or suffer from hearing loss and how they affect their adult lives.

As well as looking at work and educational outcomes, the researchers will focus on the social lives of the 500 participants.

The READY study – which stands for Recording Emerging Adulthood in Deaf Youth – is looking for young people from England, Scotland and Wales to take part.

Lead author Professor Alys Young, of the University of Manchester, said: “The lives of deaf young people in the 21st Century offer more possibilities than ever before.

“But we need to understand what will make a difference for them in fulfilling their potential and why some may still struggle to achieve their life goals.”

University of Edinburgh study coordinator Chris Mackintosh said: “We hope the findings will be invaluable to young deaf people, their families and to service providers.”

Volunteers will contribute to the study once every year, with 50 participants brought in for in-depth interviews.