Anne Marchant: Request for Deaf BSL users to take part in valuable research about access to therapy (BSL)

Hi everyone, I am a researcher at the University of the West of England (UWE) in Bristol. I live in the Southwest and I am hard of hearing.

I wear hearing aids and struggle to hear in noisy environments. In my wider family, I had cousins who were Profoundly Deaf (RIP Conal Grant – Sheffield), or have Cochlear implants, or hearing aids.

I even have a photo of my great-grandmother Kate on my mother’s side, who seems to be wearing a hearing aid, the device attached to a belt of hers (see the black and white image below!)

Between 2023-24 I was lucky enough to learn BSL level one from a wonderful tutor Beth Bartholomew (www.signwithbeth.com), and fell in love with this beautiful language. Finance permitting, once I complete the Doctorate, I hope to learn more.

Delving into my research background, in the winter of 2019, I attended a conference with a well-known hearing Professor of Counselling Psychology in my hometown.

The venue was a large metal portacabin, and chairs were arranged in rows facing the speaker.  No microphones or speakers were used which meant the Professor had to shout. No hearing loops were available, or BSL interpreters either.

The lecture was well attended. When the audience was quiet, I could hear the Professors talk. Then, he asked the audience to ‘role play’ the therapeutic technique he discussed in his lecture. This was the defining moment of my research.

I heard nothing of my colleague’s story above the noise and sound reverberation in the metal portacabin. I felt isolated, sad and angry. I couldn’t even focus on my colleague’s story.

We sat there quietly, whilst others continued. I now know this to be ‘dinner table syndrome’ (Meek, 2020).

I asked the Professor if his research included the Deaf community.  He said no. And so the initial ideas of my research were sown.

For my research I want to examine the Profoundly Deaf person’s experience of seeking or accessing Deaf Culturally Affirmative Therapy (or not).

I want to find out from the Deaf community – what do hearing professionals need to do to change?

I want to learn about people’s experiences, both good, bad or somewhere in between. I will not ask about the content of your therapy session. That remains confidential between you and your therapist.

My research is concerned about the process you went through and any barriers to treatment you encountered.

Were there any good experiences that we can learn from? Is there anything else you feel the hearing professional needs to know about? What do hearing professionals need to know about Deaf Culture? Deaf discrimination? Deaf oppression?

So far, most research is from the USA, so there is limited UK-based research, and therefore missing vital information from the Deaf person. One of my hero’s is Paddy Ladd who I met back in 2022.

This is why my research is different.  I want to interview Profoundly Deaf participants who have BSL as their first language individually with a BSL interpreter.

The interview should take 1 hour, and there is a small gift token as a thank you for taking part. Any identifying information will be changed. Your data is stored securely and you have the right to withdraw from the study at anytime with no penalty.

Interviews would be online at a time and date of your choice.  My research has ethical approval from my University UWE.  I hope research findings will be presented to the BDA to forward to their BSL advisory committee to influence the Government.

In addition, it may be published and used in conferences to educate hearing professionals.

There is a criteria that you must meet in order to be interviewed. You must be over 18 and Profoundly Deaf with BSL as your first language and living in the UK.

You will also be either seeking therapy or have had therapy in the past. Please note at least 6 months need to have lapsed since your therapy ended.

If you would like to find out more please email me on: anne2.marchant@live.uwe.ac.uk
or my Director of Studies Dr Tony Ward: Tony.ward@uwe.ac.uk

I am really looking forward to speaking with you. Please email me if you have any questions.

By Anne Marchant