Counselling of Hearing-impaired Student Athletes in Nairobi Province

Abstract

The need for and current availability of counselling services to hearing- impaired student athletes in Nairobi Province were investigated. The descriptive data generated from this special population has potential to inform future proposals aimed at uplifting the sports performance of these athletes and improving their quality of life. The areas of special interest were the role of psychological factors in a hearing-impaired student's participation in sports, and the role of teacher-counselors' training and availability for removing psychological barriers that may hinder the performance and success of hearing-impaired student athletes. Four bodies of literature were reviewed in this study. These were the psychological self-concept, sports psychology, physical education and facts relating to hearing-impaired athletes. Data was collected from all 131 (census) hearing-impaired student athletes and 8 teacher counsellors in Nairobi Province using a structured written survey, which included an adapted Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. One of the most striking results of this study was that 70% of the responses by student athletes indicated they experienced frustration and nervousness when involved in sports. Despite this, 53% of the respondents indicated that they did not seek counselling. Some 32% of the student athletes seek counselling services, 66% of the student athletes indicated that they perceive that teacher-counselors are not readily available to provide counselling services. The student athletes appear to have low medium-to- medium self. There were several indications of a sense of hopelessness among the hearing-impaired student athletes. Sixty-three percent of teacher-counselors indicated that they are professionally trained in counselling, with a similar percentage indicating that they experience communication problems in counselling hearing- impaired student athletes. In addition, all the teacher-counselors 44 Abstracts indicated that there are insufficient facilities and equipment to be used in provision of counselling services. The study, concluded that the current availability of counselling services to hearing-impaired student athletes in Nairobi Province appears wanting. There is also the need for necessary adjustments with the aim of improving the sports performance of hearing-impaired student athletes. Various recommendations were suggested so as to improve the provision of counselling services to the hearing-impaired student athletes.