Review-Growing number of individuals with immigrant roots(Bhaskar, Arenas-Germosen & Dick, 2013; Pitkin & Myers, 2011)-Expected increase with d/Deaf and hard of hearing(DHH) immigrants as well (Gerner de Garcia, 1995)-Immigrants’ access to resources is limited (Pavlish, Noor, & Brandt, 2010; Yu, Huang, & Singh, 2010; Algeria, Atkins, Farmer, Slaton, & Stelk, 2010)-Limited research regarding DHH individuals’ access toservices and resources (Jackson, 2011; Jamieson, Zaidman-Zait, & Poon, 2011; Hintermair, 2011)-Limited research regarding DHH immigrants’ access toresources (Balcazar, et. al, 2011; Joharchi, 2012)

Purpose of the Study-In order to improve access to resources, research must first explore perceptions of access to resources, discrepancies in accessto services and resiliency of DHH immigrants or those with immigrant roots

Research Question-How do DHH individuals with immigrant roots perceive their access to resources?

Procedures-Call for participants sent through daily newsletter at a Deaf university-Video recorded interviews in American Sign Language (ASL)-Transcribed video from ASL to English

Measures-Semi-structuredinterview exploringexperiences, satisfaction and resiliency of DHH individuals withimmigrant roots

Sample-d/Deaf and hardof hearingcollege students’ (n=3)

Analysis-Grounded theory guided the analysis-Categories emerged from the data-Constant comparisons connect incidents to broad categories which were connected with other categories

Results-Themes: Help from family or community , The importance of being Deaf, Discrimination or prejudice, Things got better, and How things could have been better-“First my father would ask me, ‘what’s the problem, what’s up, is there pain or whatever?’ Then he would help me communicate with the doctor.”-“Deaf culture, Deaf access, Deaf resources, everything. I think it is very important for me.”“Also, for me, my last name is...in the American airports it’s such a problem. They always think I have a gun and will shoot people, or bring food. Really it’s nothing, but their inspections take such a long time. This really causes a headache. That’s really a barrier.”“I never knew about that [interpreter services] when a I was growing up.”

ReferencesAlegria, M., Atkins, M., Farmer, E., Slaton, E., & Stelk, W. (2010). One size does not fit all: Taking diversity, culture and context seriously. Administration and policy in mental health, 37, 1-2. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2874609/Balcazar, F. E., et. al (2011). A case study of liberation among Latino immigrant familieswho have children with disabilities. American Journal of Community Psychology, 49. Retrieved from http://indigo.uic.edu/bitstream/handle/10027/8175/Balcazar%20liberation%20narratives%20final%20AJCP.pdf?sequence=1Bhaskar, R., Arenas-Germosen, B., & Dick, C. (2013). Demographic analysis 2010: Sensitivity analysis of the foreign-born migration component. Population division: The United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0098/twps0098.pdfGerner de Garcia, B. (1995). ESL applications for Hispanic deaf students. The bilingual research journal, 19, 3 & 4. Retrieved from http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/files/rcd/BE021519/ESL_Applications_for_Hispanic_Deaf.pdfHintermair, M. (2006). Parental resources, parental stress, and socioemotional development of deaf and hard of hearing children. Journal of deaf studies and deaf education, 11. Retrieved from http://jdsde.oxfordjournals.org/content/11/4/493.full.pdfJackson, C. W. (2011). Family supports and resources for parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Project muse, 156, 4. doi: 10.1353/aad.2011.0038Jamieson, J. R., Zaidman-Zait, A., & Poon, B. (2011). Family support needs as perceived by parents of preadolescents and adolescents who are deaf or hard of hearing. Deafness & education international, 13. doi: http://dx.doi.org.proxyga.wrlc.org/10.1179/1557069X11Y.0000000005Joharchi, H. A. (2012). Deaf Immigrants and Their Access to Resources. Poster presentation at Association of psychological sciences (APS). Pavlish, C.N., Noor, S., & Brandt, J. (2010). Somali immigrant women and the American health care system: Discordant beliefs, divergent expectations, and silent worries. Social science medicine, 71, 2. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2893335/Pitkin, J. & Myers, D. (2011). Projections of the U.S. population, 2010-2040, by immigrant generation and foreign-born duration in the U.S. Population dynamics research group. Retrieved from http://www.usc.edu/schools/price/futures/pdf/2011_Pitkin-Myers_Projections-Immigrant-Generations-and-Foreign-Born.pdf

Immigrant Psychology: Deaf Immigrants and Their Access to Resources

Clark, M. D. 1, Joharchi, H. A. 2, Corbett, C. 21Department of Education, Gallaudet University 2Psychology Department, Gallaudet University

A special thanks goes to the participants. Theresearchers are also grateful for support from the

Deans and Graduate Research Institute at Gallaudet University.