Exploring D/deaf Identities Among South Korean Emerging Adults Who Received Pediatric Cochlear Implantation

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session One
  In Roundtable Session: Centering the Disabled Experience in the Research Process (Table 14)

Abstract

Since cochlear implants became clinically and commercially available for D/deaf children, pediatric cochlear implantation (PCI) has become a common practice in many countries, including South Korea. Despite this expansion of PCI, less is known about PCI recipients’ unique experiences and their identities as D/deaf people. By using a narrative approach, this study explored how PCI recipients construct D/deaf identities based on their lived experiences. Six South Korean emerging adults who received PCI participated in one-on-one interviews and narrated their life stories. Findings suggested that participants held diverse views on D/deafness (e.g., medical, social, cultural) and defined their self-image in various ways (e.g., denier, challenger, mediator) in relation to their views on D/deafness. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Author

• Eunkyung Chung, University of California - Berkeley
  Presenting Author