Abstract
In this study, behavioral problems of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) school-aged children are discussed in the context of executive functioning and communicative competence. Teachers assessed the executive functions of a sample of 214 D/HH students from general schools and schools for the deaf, using a German version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functions (BRIEF-D). This was complemented by a questionnaire that measured communicative competence and behavioral problems (German version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ-D). The results in nearly all the scales show a significantly higher problem rate for executive functions in the group of D/HH students compared with a normative sample of hearing children. In the D/HH group, students at general schools had better scores on most scales than students at schools for the deaf. Regression analysis reveals the importance of executive functions and communicative competence for behavioral problems. The relevance of the findings for pedagogical work is discussed. A specific focus on competencies such as self-efficacy or self-control in educational concepts for D/HH students seems to be necessary in addition to extending language competencies.Numerous studies show that the development of deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students is faced with special challenges. Findings from cognitive science (see Marschark & Wauters, 2011, for review), literacy (see Trezek, Wang, & Paul, 2011, for review), and socioemotional development (see Calderon & Greenberg, 2011, for review) reveal that reduced auditory perception and/or its correlates influence a great many processes that are significant for effective and interactive world disclosure, and that special allowances must be made for this when bringing up and educating these children. Calderon and Greenberg (2011) note that “across all developmental periods, competent functioning is associated with the ability to coordinate affect, cognition, communication, and behavior” (p. 189). We know, however, that many D/HH students make experiences during their development that make this integration of language, cognition, and affect difficult (Greenberg & Kusché, 1998).This present study deals with the issue of the role that executive functions play in the development of D/HH students at general schools and at schools for the deaf in this context. It also examines what correlations there might be between executive functions, communicative competence, and behavioral problems. Executive functions have become increasingly important in recent years in the neurosciences, cognitive psychology, and education, and it is significant for both theory and educational practice to carefully examine the role executive functions have for the development of D/HH students(see Hauser, Lukomski, & Hillman, 2008, for review).