Hello! We are inviting you to take part in this research study on Deaf acculturative stress and how stress can cause physiological effects in the body. We are looking for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing and are 18 years or older. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between acculturative stress, psychosomatic symptoms, and psychological well-being in Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, and if American Sign Language (ASL) can affect the way that Deaf people experience acculturative stress and these physiological effects of stress.
If you decide to take part in this study, you will be asked to:
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Complete a brief screening survey (e.g., age, hearing status) to check if you are eligible.
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If you are eligible and decide to participate in the study, the information collected on the screening survey will be kept and you will be directed to complete a survey that will collect background information such as gender, race/ethnicity, Deaf cultural background, etc., and will have questions on acculturative stress, psychosomatic symptoms, and psychological well-being.
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If you are not eligible or decide not to participate your screening data will be deleted and removed from the RedCap survey. Your participation in this study will include a survey that will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. We estimate that over 100 individuals will take part in this study. Subjects will be 18 years of age and order. Subjects will be inclusive to all genders, ethnic backgrounds, racial identities, socioeconomic status, sexual orientations, and ability.
There is a small chance that some of the questions during the interview may make you uncomfortable or cause stress. If you experience any stress or discomfort while participating in the survey, we have attached a comprehensive list of available resources that may be useful for you.
You may skip any questions you do not want to answer, and you may withdraw from the study at any time, for whatever reason. No matter what decision you make, there will be no penalty or loss of benefit to which you are entitled.
We will take several steps to keep your information private. We will not collect any identifying information (e.g., name, IP address, email address) for the research study. All study data will be stored on a password-protected, secure server here at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Only individuals on the study team will have access to the data. Results of the research may be presented at meetings or in publications, but no identifying information will be used.
You may not benefit directly from being in this study. The potential benefits to you include the opportunity to support Deaf research and contribute knowledge to how stress impacts our physical and mental health.
You will not be paid for participating in the study.
If this sounds like something you would be interested in, complete the brief screening survey to see if you are eligible. If you are not eligible to participate, you will be notified and redirected from the survey.
For more information or questions about this research you may call Zoe Burroughs at (214) 578-4241. Please contact the University of Rochester Research Subjects Review Board at 265 Crittenden Blvd., CU 420628, Rochester, NY 14642, Telephone (585) 276-0005 or (877) 449-4441 for the following reasons:
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You wish to talk to someone other than the research staff about your rights as a research subject;
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To voice concerns about the research;
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To provide input concerning the research process;
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In the event the study staff could not be reached.
Deaf Mental Health Resources
Find Support in your Area
Finding a Therapist:
1) Psychology Today
Search for mental health services on Psychology Today "Find a Therapist" at:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists
After entering your city or zip code, you can choose to filter the results by language to find providers who are fluent in ASL. You can also filter the results by insurance to select providers who accept your specific insurance.
2) Signs of Communication - Provider Directory for Neurodivergent Deaf Individuals
Everyone has a right to accessible, appropriate services. Unfortunately, those can be difficult to find. Below is a curated directory of service providers who work with deaf and hard of hearing individuals who have developmental or intellectual disabilities. You can sort by location, type of service, age served, etc. Please note that some services may be restricted to individuals with a particular diagnosis.
Provider Directory for Neurodivergent Deaf Individuals from Signs of Communication
3) Deaf Mental Health and Wellness Hub
The Deaf Mental Health Hub (DMHH) is a community-led digital platform created to bridge the gap in mental health and wellness access for the Deaf community-including DeafDisabled, DeafBlind, DeafPlus, Hard of Hearing, and Late-Deafened individuals. Through our centralized directory of ASL-fluent, culturally responsive providers and an expanding library of accessible resources, we aim to empower users with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to navigate their healing journey with confidence.
About | Deaf Mental Health Hub
Deaf Teletherapy Options:
1) Deaf Counseling Center (DCC)
National experts specifically trained in counseling Deaf people, providing direct therapy services (one-on-one counseling, crisis intervention, therapeutic support groups) in American Sign Language.
http://www.deafcounseling.com/
2) National Deaf Therapy (NDT)
Individual, couple, family, and group therapy; community support circles, and community training
Therapy services are available in AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IN, ME, MD, MA, MN, NV, NH, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, DC, WI
https://nationaldeaftherapy.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkquzt5Da4QIVAcBkCh3nsQtEEAAYASAAEgJ4YfD_BwE
3) My Deaf Therapy
Offers inclusive, linguistically-affirmative mental health services via telehealth nationwide. Clinicians promote health and wellness using a holistic approach to therapy integrating evidence-based methods.
https://www.mydeaftherapy.com/
Call: 240-575-6210
Email: welcome@mydeaftherapy.com
4) Deaf Multicultural Counseling
Virtual psychotherapy services across multiple states.
Pennsylvania, Georgia, Florida, New York, Maine, Texas, and Maryland
Deaf Multicultural Counseling - Mental Health Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Communities (clientsecure.me)
Call: (470) 763- 5282
Email: makoto@deafmulticulturalcounseling.com
Crisis Hotlines:
1) Deaf Crisis Line
DeafLEAD offers 24-hour crisis lines committed to providing a safe place for you to get the help that you need
Video Phone: 321-800-3323
2) Crisis Text Line
Provides a 24-hour confidential crisis counseling via text messaging.
Text HOME to 741741 for free, 24/7 crisis support
https://www.crisistextline.org/