14
Language Needs Mental Health and Deafness
A critical evaluation of language deprivation, the impact
it has on a deaf individual's mental health and the
implications on social work practice in Northern Ireland
We are delighted in this edition newsletter to profile the work of a student on the
BSC Honours course at Ulster University (Magee).
Name: Aisling White BSC (HONS) in Social Work (Ulster University@ Magee)
Reflection of Practice 11 - Evidence Based Project
Aishling undertook her placement in Southern HSC Trust and is sharing a synopsis
of her work here for wider dissemination.
She is now in her Assessed Year in Practice Year
Introduction
There is a need within social work in Northern Ireland for a more comprehensive
understanding of language deprivation to help guide interventions which target
mental health challenges for this service user group.
Language deprivation is the phrase used to describe when an individual endures a
chronic lack of complete access to a natural language during the critical period of
language acquisition (Mayberry and Lock, 2003). This critical period refers to the
first 5 years of a child's life where there are higher levels of neurological sensitivity
to promote positive language acquisition (Newport, 1990). Language deprivation
can have devastating effects on a child's neurological development resulting in
brain's the inability to support communication, cognitive, educational or emotional
needs in the future (Lederberg et al, 2013).
This literature review highlighted the impact that language deprivation or the
disruption to a child's language development has on long-term mental health and
emotional well-being, considering that this is a further social factor which
contributes to the epidemiology of mental health.
SPOTLIGHT ON NEW RESEARCH
TALENT