The importance of developing clinical competence — including careful diagnostic consideration and cultural humility — when providing psychiatric care to deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) patients.
The Viewpoint argues that effective psychiatric care for DHH patients requires clinicians to build specific competencies, balancing diagnostic rigor with an understanding of Deaf culture and identity.
As a Viewpoint article, this piece reflects expert opinion rather than empirical data; no original research, patient cohort, or outcomes data are presented.
Psychiatrists should cultivate cultural humility and Deaf-specific clinical skills when working with DHH patients, as standard psychiatric approaches may not translate directly to this population.
