Abstract

Early Sign Language: Psychological and Mental Health of Deaf Babies

Author(s): Ahmed Alzahrani A

The present study aims knowing the most common sign language vocabulary used among Deaf babies by helping their deaf mothers, and its reflection on the psychological and mental health of deaf children, whether positively or negatively. Also, knowing the most common simple reference sentences for deaf children from the perspective of deaf mothers. The current study followed the descriptive analytical approach. The study population consisted of 70 Deaf mothers in the cities of the Western Region (Jeddah-Makkah-Madinah) for the year 2021. The results of the study concluded that as long as young Deaf babies expose to sign language at an early age, it reflected positively on their linguistic development and their mental, psychological and social health. The results also concluded that the most common sign language vocabulary used among Deaf babies from the point of view of deaf mothers were (Papa - Mama - plays - goodbye - bathroom - milk - sleeps - eat - bread - bananas - apples - orange - come - dog - thickness), in other words, most of vocabulary associated with family, home, and food categories. Moreover, Deaf mothers have agreed on a number of common reference sentences among children, including: Iterative sentences vocabulary with majority, then Sentences of denial and rejection, then Sentence communication, call and reference, then Emotional Sentences then Appointment and approval sentences, then Interrogative sentences then nervous phrases. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 23(6), June 2022: 1- 12.

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