Impact of School Violence on Health and Psychology of Adolescent Girls with Hearing Impairment

Author(s) : Samina Ashraf , Ghulam Fatima and Herman Shah Bin Anuar

Abstract:

Violence occurred in the schools is perpetrated by teachers, peers, non-teaching members of the schools and senior school fellows. Persons with hearing impairment lacks in hearing due to problems in auditory pathway. It has increased the risk of school violence due to effects of limited hearing and inability to communicate. This qualitative research study was carried out with the objectives of exploring the influence of school ferocity on the health and psychology of the adolescent hearing impaired girls. The sample of present research comprised of hearing impaired girls getting education in the schools of Punjab from grade 8 to 10. A total number of 17 adolescent girls with hearing problems were taken from 7 schools of three populous cities of Punjab. All of the girls who were selected as participants had been experienced any type of school violence in school timings and having record of any physical or mental illness and who were willing to be the part of this research. Based on literature review, an interview protocol was formulated as tool of the study. It is used after validation through piloting to conduct the in-depth interviews from the victimized girls to get insight into their health and psychological problems. On the basis of interviews, it was found that headache, stretching of muscles, pain in different body parts, stomach problems, disturbance in menstrual cycle emerged as major health problems. Anxiety, depression, isolation and insomnia were major psychological problems reported by the victimized girls. The empowerment of adolescent girls with hearing impairment is recommended to uplift their life by raising their power of speech against school violence.

Keywords: Psychology, health, school violence, adolescent girls with hearing impairment