Effect of Coaching Program on Parents' Awareness regarding Caring of their children with Hearing Loss

Background: The most common sensory deficit in children today is hearing loss. It can cause significant adverse effects on the acquisition of speech and language, academic achievement as well as social and emotional development. Aim of the study: This study aimed to determine the effect of a coaching program on parents' awareness regarding caring of their children with hearing loss. Research design: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized to accomplish the aim of this study. Setting: The study was conducted at Alshamla Audiology clinics of Tanta University Hospital and Audiology Clinic of International Teaching Hospital, in Tanta City. Subjects: A convenient sample composed of 150 parents having children suffering from hearing loss . Tools of data collection: Tool (1) Interviewing questionnaire about ADHD, Tool (2) Parents' reported practices about their children with ADHD and Tool (3) Parents' attitude to deafness scale . Results: The majority of the studied sample (75%) had poor level of knowledge before the coaching program implementation, which improved for most of them (90%), to have good knowledge immediately post and at the follow up phases of coaching program implementation. While, most of parents (90%) had unsatisfactory level of practice before the coaching program, also the same percent of them (90%) had satisfactory practice immediately post and at follow up phases of coaching program. Also, the majority of the studied parents (73.3% and 66.7%) showed positive attitude about caring of their children with hearing loss after coaching program implementation. Conclusion: The study findings concluded that, there are significant improvements in parents' total knowledge, reported practices and attitude regarding caring of their children suffering from hearing loss after the implementation of coaching program than before. Recommendations: Periodical coaching programs should be provided for parents of children with hearing loss for continuous education.