Lived Experience of the Challenges of Raising a Deaf Child from the Perspective of Hearing Fathers: Qualitative Research with a Phenomenological Approach

Effective parenting improves children’s physical, emotional, mental and social health. This research was conducted based on the descriptive phenomenology approach and the purpose of its implementation was to investigate the lived experience of the challenges of raising a deaf child from the perspective of hearing fathers. The sample size was seven people and the main criteria for selecting the participants who were living with a spouse and children, having at least one child with severe or profound hearing loss and congenital sensory impairment, and volunteering to participate in the research. A semi-structured interview was used to collect data and the life experiences of the participants were investigated. The Colaizzi method was used to analyze the interviews. The results of the interviews were classified into 5 main categories under the title of acceptance of the child by parents, social conditions, parents’ awareness, support networks and life challenges. In sum, the analysis of the lived experience of hearing parents with a deaf child showed that they are affected by their child’s deafness in different ways. Therefore, these categories can be used to formulate educational and psychological programs for deaf children with hearing parents.