Social Competence in Children: Difference between Normal and Hearing Impaired

Abstract

Social competence plays a vital role on the quality of life, social adjustment and successful emotion in the future and school success. Aim of the study: The present study aimedto assess the social competence between normal and hearing impaired children Research design: A descriptivedesign was utilized to conduct this study.Setting: The study was conducted in two governmental elementary integrationschools in Zagazig City.Sample: A random multistage sampling technique of 60 students equally distributed between into two groups (30 hearing impaired and 30 normal students) who fulfilled the study inclusion criteria. Tools:An interview questionnaire sheetconsisted of three parts; Socio- demographic data,a standardized pictorial social skills scale and a standardized social competence scale. Results: The results revealed that statistically significant differences were found in all domains of social skills and competence. Conclusion: Statistically significant differences were found between the two studied groups. Hearing impaired children were better than control group in empathy and self-assertion domains, while normal children were better than hearing impaired children in cooperation, social interaction with adults, order, communication and social-emotional control and flexibility domains. Recommendations:The findings corroborate the need for further studies to investigate factors that might affect the social competence of hearing impaired children and further researches on large scale are needed to generalize and confirm the results of the current study.