Farzeen, Midhat

English

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International Social Science Review
Volume 91 | Issue 2 Article 8
2015
Book Review: Mental Health and Deafness by
Margaret Du Feu and Cathy Chovaz
Midhat Farzeen
Pakistan Fatima Jinnah Women University
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Recommended Citation
Farzeen, Midhat (2015) "Book Review: Mental Health and Deafness by Margaret Du Feu and Cathy Chovaz," International Social
Science Review: Vol. 91: Iss. 2, Article 8.
Available at: http://digitalcommons.northgeorgia.edu/issr/vol91/iss2/8
Du Feu, Margaret, and Cathy Chovaz. Mental Health and Deafness. New York: Oxford 
University Press, 2014. xvi + 296 pages. Paperback, $43.95. 
 
 Mental Health and Deafness provides a comprehensive yet detailed overview of the 
issues surrounding deafness and mental health for hard-of-hearing individuals as well as 
mental health researchers and practitioners.  Dr. Margaret Du Feu, a consultant psychiatrist, 
and Dr. Cathy Chovaz, a professor in the departments of Psychology and Psychiatry at the 
University of Western Ontario, bring extensive theoretical, clinical and personal experience 
to their book.  Both of the authors have experienced deafness as adults and they currently 
communicate using sign language as well as spoken language. 
Du Feu and Chovaz describe the historical and social context of deafness, and narrate 
the life journey of deaf individuals.  They provide information about a child’s way of 
accepting his/her deafness, about parents’ reactions to their child’s deafness, about language 
acquisition, and about mental health issues prevalent in childhood, adolescence, adulthood 
and later life.  The book not only provides in-depth information regarding the lives of hard-
of-hearing individuals but the case studies provided by the authors help the reader to fully 
understand this information. 
The book is also a journey through the historical developments in the area of 
assessment and treatment.  Chovaz and Du Feu highlight the need for appropriate assessment 
tools and respective intervention plans for deaf individuals because of the differences in their 
symptoms and co-morbidities.  For example, it helps to understand the difference between an 
intellectual disability and the significance of delayed language acquisition.  In addition, the 
authors have exceptionally differentiated between the symptoms related to mental health 
shown by hearing individuals and those presented by deaf individuals. The distinction 
between the two is essential for a mental health practitioner to know so that s/he could do a 
proper assessment and devise a relevant intervention or treatment plan.  
In the book, Du Feu and Chovaz also highlight legal issues concerning deaf 
individuals.  They discuss legal matters such as ownership of property, wills and informed 
consent.  Legal matters are very important due to certain vulnerabilities of deaf and mentally 
ill persons.  They are often misunderstood individuals and they may be exploited.  Finally, 
the authors conclude the book by highlighting the scope and developments occurring in 
intervention and service development.  Emphasis is placed on the provision of adequate 
mental health service centres, and making sure that hard-of-hearing individuals have equal 
access to mental health services. 
Mental Health and Deafness is a valuable resource.  It provides considerable 
information not only for hard-of-hearing individuals and their care-givers, but also for 
professionals in the fields of education, psychology, social work, and medicine.  It is also an 
important resource for any social science researchers interested in expanding their knowledge 
about deafness and mental health.  Overall, the book is comprehensive and insightful as it 
develops a complete understanding of deafness, mental illness, and the issues surrounding 
them. 
Midhat Farzeen, B.Sc. (Honors) 
Department of Behavioral Science 
Pakistan Fatima Jinnah Women University 
Research Assistant - Human Development Research Foundation 
1
Farzeen: Mental Health & Deafness
Published by Nighthawks Open Institutional Repository, 2015


Book Review: Mental Health and Deafness by Margaret Du Feu and Cathy Chovaz

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