Peer-reviewed article
A qualitative literature review of how hearing codas navigate deafness stigma.
O'Connell N, Napier J ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This qualitative literature review examines how hearing children of deaf adults (Codas) experience and respond to stigma associated with their parents' deafness. The review synthesises 22 qualitative studies and 2 books to explore how Codas navigate courtesy stigma, discrimination, and social exclusion. The researchers found that while Codas face significant challenges from stigma-by-association, they also demonstrate resilience and agency in supporting their deaf parents. The review calls for better understanding of Codas' experiences to inform future research and social interventions.
Key points
- Codas experience courtesy stigma, indirect stigma and stigma-by-association due to their connection with deaf parents
- Stigma and social exclusion negatively affect the wellbeing of Coda children, young people and adults
- Codas exhibit resilience and agency in responding to parental stigmatization and protecting their parents from stressors
- Theoretical contexts of stigma have rarely been applied to study Coda experiences
- Understanding Codas' lived experiences is needed to inform appropriate social interventions and future research
Limitations
This is a literature review that synthesises existing qualitative research rather than primary data collection, so it reflects the scope and quality of available studies. The review does not provide information on the geographic distribution of included studies or quantify the prevalence of different stigma experiences across populations.
Abstract
The theoretical contexts of stigma have rarely been applied to a study of the experiences of hearing children of deaf adults (Codas), nor to the ways they respond to parental stigmatization and the efforts they take to protect their parents from these stressors. The wellbeing of Coda children, young people and adults is known to be challenged by discrimination and social exclusion arising from deaf-related stigmatization. It is therefore imperative that these are addressed appropriately to enable Codas to reach their potential and to recognize the agency that Codas have in supporting their deaf parents. This narrative review aims to specifically explore Codas' experiences of courtesy stigma, indirect stigma or stigma-by-association. The databases Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and reference lists of publications were searched; 61 peer-reviewed articles and 2 books were screened; 22 articles featuring qualitative studies and 2 books were included. The researchers found that Codas experienced courtesy stigma due to their association with deaf parents but also exhibit a sense of resilience and agency. Understanding and valuing Codas' lived experience of courtesy stigma help to make more appropriate recommendations for future research and social interventions.