Deaf and Hard of Hearing College Student Athletes and Alcohol Use

There is extensive research showing an association between athletics and college alcohol use. However, there is a gap in the literature describing this phenomenon for deaf and hard of hearing students. Researchers explored the experiences and perspectives of Gallaudet University students and staff on deaf and hard of hearing students’ alcohol use by conducting a qualitative case study in American Sign Language. One theme that emerged from this data was athletics: the impact of being a student athlete, the structure of college life for student athletes, networking as an athlete, athletic events, and the role of alcohol use. Researchers found unique experiences for deaf and hard of hearing students, but also consistencies with the literature showing an increased association between athletics, athletic events, and alcohol use.