Multiparty Conversations With People With Congenital Deafblindness: Operationalization, Significance, and Requirements

Abstract

Typically developing children are exposed to multiparty communication on a daily basis from birth. This facilitates both group belonging and observational learning. However, involvement in multiparty conversations is not self-evident for people with congenital deafblindness due to their dual sensory impairment. This study explored the added value of multiparty conversations for people with congenital deafblindness by analyzing communication partners' narrations of their experiences. Three focus group sessions were conducted with professionals and relatives (n = 24) of people with congenital deafblindness. These sessions were audiotaped, transcribed, and coded using thematic analysis. Participants described the following defining characteristics of multiparty conversations in relation to congenital deafblindness: a minimum of three people involved, with at least one who has congenital deafblindness; awareness of the presence of the other communication partners; attention for the communicative setting; and the use of communication means that are familiar to all communication partners. In their experience, multiparty conversations supported social, emotional, and communication development. Furthermore, focus group participants indicated that spontaneous multiparty conversations with people with congenital deafblindness were scarce and, therefore, needed to be encouraged by communication partners. The participants considered positive beliefs, preparation of the multiparty conversation, repetitions, and a low communication speed as important partner competencies to support the involvement of individuals with congenital deafblindness in multiparty conversations. Accordingly, we recommend the development of an intervention protocol for communication partners to initiate and foster multiparty conversations with people with congenital deafblindness. Another recommendation is to test the effects of MPC on the observational learning of people with congenital deafblindness.

Using intervention mapping to develop an intervention for multiparty communication with people with congenital deafblindness

“…This study drew upon the experiential knowledge of communication partners as the main source of information. We gathered that knowledge through focus group sessions [ 19 ] and the participation of communication partners in the working group.…”

“…The sessions also provided valuable information about the behavior and environmental factors associated with the amount of MPC that people with CDB engage in. The results of this focus group study have been published in another paper [ 19 ].…”

“…The general term for these conversation types involving more than two people is multiparty communication [ 18 ]. In contrast to verbal communication between seeing-hearing communication partners, natural interactions with people with CDB barely include MPC [ 19 ].…”

“…Although some people with CDB have been successfully introduced to MPC, it required time and effort from their communication partners and it did not naturally transfer to interactions with other people with CDB. According to some authors, MPC is especially challenging in the tactile modality [ 19 ].…”

Influence of Caregiver’s Sign Quality on Successful Interaction with a Deafblind Child

“…Furthermore, it is considered more ethical to offer every child, with or without CDB, the same linguistic opportunities. (Worm et al, 2020;Damen et al, 2020;Larsen & Dammeyer, 2020;Van den Bogaerde, 2000;Dammeyer & Larsen, 2016;Bruce & Vargas, 2007;Dammeyer, 2014;Humphries et al, 2012;Souriau et al, 2009).…”