A comparison of residential and non-residential educational background effects on selected developmental dimensions of deaf university freshmen

This study compared a sample of deaf college freshmen from residential secondary schools for the deaf with a sample of deaf college freshmen from non-residential secondary schools along three developmental dimensions, namely Establishing and Clarifying Purpose (PUR), Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships (MIR), and Academic Autonomy (AA), as assessed by Winston and Miller's (1987) Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle Inventory (SDTLI). Residential schools are those exclusively for deaf students. They usually have deaf teachers and administrators. Non-residential schools integrate hearing and deaf students. They are less likely to have deaf teachers and administrators. The subjects were 113 full-time freshmen students between 18 and 24 years of age, all of whom lived in residence halls at Gallaudet University. None of the students had matriculated at any other college prior to entering Gallaudet University. They were grouped into two samples based on their high school background. Fifty-eight subjects graduated from residential secondary schools for the deaf and 55 subjects graduated from non-residential secondary schools. Demographic data showed a uniform distribution of characteristics for both groups. Three hypotheses were developed, one for each developmental dimension of the SDTLI. It was hypothesized that students from a non-residential school would score significantly higher on the PUR dimension than students from a residential secondary school. It was also hypothesized that students from residential secondary school for the deaf would score significantly higher on each the MIR and AA dimensions than students from non-residential secondary school. The t-test statistic was used in hypothesis testing. Significance was set at p $\leq$.05. No significant differences were found and all of three hypotheses were rejected. In general, the study concluded that type of secondary school background of study subjects is not an important influence in terms of three dimensions of development (PUR, MIR, and AA as measured through the SDTLI). The findings were interpreted for their meaning to Gallaudet University officials in terms of enhancing their understanding of deaf college freshmen attending Gallaudet University.