Wie wird Erwachsenwerden erlebt?

This study examines deaf and hearing emerging adults in order to explore if there is a transition from adolescence to adulthood according to Arnett’s concept (2000). It is based on the theory that deaf people have different experiences in their linguistic development compared to hearing people when they communicate in their language 1, the Austrian Sign Language. Therefore, they also develop their own cultural concepts. In the empirical part of the study, 168 participants (70 Deaf and 98 hearing) aged between 18 and 29 years were asked to answer a questionnaire which indicates the criteria of transition to adulthood delineated by Arnett (2001) the defining features described by Reifmann, Arnett and Colwell (2007) and the perceived adult status specified by Arnett (2001). For Deaf participants, the questionnaire was presented in Austrian Sign Language with videos. The data analysis shows that there are significant differences between the two groups. The most widely endorsed subscale for deaf participants is family capacities which includes items that describe traditional ways of life – generally, in today’s society these values are often put into the background. Views on family capacities may be linked to perceived adult status. Moreover, 60% of Deaf participants feel that they have reached adulthood. In comparison, 40% of hearing participants share this view. Contrary to this, contemporary individualistic criteria such as the “acceptance of responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions“ are met with similar approval in both groups. Similarly, there is little difference between the groups regarding the five defining features of emerging adulthood. It may also be concluded that the two groups experience the age of possibilities in similar intensity. However, it should be noted here that there are different results depending on the demographic background of the Deaf participants and as many as 40% of Deaf participants regarded the accessibility of education as inadequate. The research has shown that, similar to the group of young hearing persons, there is a developmental period which can be described as emerging adulthood for the group of young Deaf people. In addition, it was demonstrated that Arnett’s concept may also be used for research on deaf people. This is supported by the fact that young deaf people define the age between 18 and 30 as youth. During this period, they organise their own cultural and athletic activities which are distinct from the activities of Deaf adolescents and adults. In the future, forums and platforms should be created where the results of this study on the transition from adolescence to adulthood may be illustrated. In addition, the insight gained from the study should be made accessible to consultants in order to 1. improve comprehension of emerging adulthood and 2. support Deaf and hearing individuals on their way to independence.