‘I am not alone’ – an ethnographic research on the peer support among northern-Finnish children with hearing loss

ABSTRACT

This study focused on the peer support group activities organized in two northern-Finnish places for children with hearing loss and their experiences of it. This was an ethnographic child research, in which the research participants were 16 (12 girls, 4 boys, aged 7-17 years) northern-Finnish children with hearing loss. The main research data consisted of the researcher’s field notes and diaries, and focus group interviews among the research participants. Additional research data consisted of various questionnaires and background information. Peer support group activities provided children with hearing loss social, functional, cognitive, and emotional peer support. The benefits of peer support were:(1) peer support group activities provided information and coping skills for the children’ daily lives;(2) participation in group activities and group discussions strengthened the children’s social competence; and (2) peer support group activities empowered the participants. The importance of social relationships is discussed based on the findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Hearing loss
• children
• Finland
• peer support
• peer
• peer support group activities
• ethnography

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Maarit Lasanen, PhD, is a special education teacher. Her research has focused on coping and social relationships among children with hearing loss and the development of peer support for them.

Kaarina Määttä, PhD, is a professor of educational psychology and vice-rector at the University of Lapland. Her research interests have focused on special education and teacher training, love and social relationships, and positive psychology.

Satu Uusiautti, PhD, is a professor of education at the University of Lapland. Her research interests cover positive development and flourishing, human strengths and success at work and in various areas of life.

ORCID

Satu Uusiautti http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2409-6460