Performers at Osaka's Big Stage - Deafblind International

Depression in the Deafblind communitydeafblind. Without effectivelanguage interactions,deafblind individuals mayhave limited ability to expressthemselves with othersand may also struggle tolabel their own experiences,thoughts and feelings.Given that communicationis critical for all aspects ofthe therapeutic process, theparamount issue that arisesin working with deafblindclients in a social workcontext is the communicationbarrier (Briffa, 1999). This isimmediately evident whentrying to make an accurateassessment and diagnosis ofclient’s situations. It has beenidentified that psychologicalassessments used withdeafblind people aregenerally inappropriate; themajority of such tools havebeen developed as a result ofresearch with white, middleclass,hearing participants(Connolly et al 2006). Mentalhealth professionals whoare unfamiliar with thepsychosocial developmentand unique experiencesof deafblind individualscan also contribute toinvalid assessments andtreatments. An examplebeing misdiagnosis byoverlooking depressedaffect or misinterpretingthe active and expressivenature of sign languageand reaching conclusionsthat the deafblindperson is disinhibited ormanic (Misiaszek et al.;2004,Fusick, 2008). Thereis little doubt that theassessment and treatmentof depressive symptoms inthe deafblind populationis a complex process. Apractitioners’ awareness ofthe multifaceted problemsassociated with deafblindnessis indispensable for effectiveevaluation and treatment.All professionals workingin this sector are calledupon to foster awareness;this includes educatingthemselves, their clients,their clients’ families, mentalhealth and allied healthprofessionals, employers andthe wider community aboutdeafblindness and Deafculture and advocating forservices to accommodate theneeds of deafblind clients.Not communicatingin the samelanguage leads tomisunderstandingsClearly when people donot communicate in thesame language thereis a high potential formisunderstandings tooccur. Communicationbreakdowns can perpetuatelong established patternsof misunderstanding,isolation and oppression ina client’s life (Misiaszek etal., 2004). Working throughan interpreter raises severalissues. Specifically in thesocial work context, theinclusion of an interpreter inan interview introduces twomore relationships to theinterview: interpreter-clientand interpreter-social worker.This can have the effect ofaltering the usual dyadictherapeutic relationship.When an interpreter providesa “voice-over” for a deafblindperson, the interpreter aimsto reflect the affect of thedeafblind person. However,this can be a challenging andsomewhat subjective process(Connolly et al., 2006).There is a minimum“ Clearly when people donot communicate in thesame language thereis a high potential formisunderstandings to occur. ”standard of competenciesinvolved for social workersand other professionalswhen working with thedeafblind population. Theseinclude: the ability to expressand receive informationin the client’s preferredcommunicative mode takinginto consideration the client’slevel of expressive abilities,the clients preferred modesof receptive communicationand their ability to receivecommunication throughthese modes. This iscoupled with the ability tounderstand the art and skillsof interpreting for clientsand to work effectively withan interpreter. All behaviour,healthy or psychopathic,must be recognized andassessed in a context ofdeafblindness. Practitionershave an obligation to criticallyexamine current research andmodes of assessment andtreatment along with beingmindful of prior misdiagnosis,assumptions and labellingof deafblind clients (Meyers& Thyler, 1997). Socialwork within the deafblindcommunity also requires theability to work effectivelywith multidisciplinaryteam members includingparents and family, and tounderstand the psychosocialimplications of theirrespective contributions.Along with the capacity toinspire trust and confidenceJan u a r y – Ju n e 2011 • DbI Review • 57