Abstract
A longitudinal study investigated mental health diagnostic trends and patterns among Deaf and Hearing individuals using a comprehensive dataset from Alabama Department of Mental Health spanning 2004-2024 (Deaf=4,547; Hearing=2,056,188). Chi-square analysis revealed significant proportional differences in diagnoses between the groups. Deaf individuals showed significantly higher proportions of psychotic (12.93% vs. 8.33% Hearing), mood (20.76% vs. 18.84% Hearing), and personality (0.58% vs. 0.43% Hearing) disorders. These findings suggest that increased access to specialized and competent mental health services for individuals who are Deaf, particularly following the increase of staffing patterns for the Office of Deaf Services in 2015,contributed to more accurate diagnostic classification within the Deaf community, potentially shifting diagnoses from less specific categories ('other') to more precise ones (e.g., mood, psychotic). The study underscores the critical need for specialized, accessible mental healthcare and ongoing workforce development to address best practice in diagnostic approaches and improve outcomes for the Deaf population.
Recommended Citation
Schafer, K., Hamerdinger, S., Wu, F., Sakai Bizmark, R., & Crump, C. (2026). Diagnostic Trends and Service Enhancements in Deaf Mental Health: A Longitudinal Analysis. JADARA, 57(1), 75-111. Retrieved from https://nsuworks.nova.edu/jadara/vol57/iss1/4
