Positive mental health outcomes experienced by signing deaf adults in Australia

Objective
This study sought to identify factors that participants associated with the development and maintenance of positive mental health across the life course.

Method
One-on-one semi-structured interviews were held with 16 Australian signing deaf adults who reported experiencing poor mental health during their lives. Interviews were transcribed from Auslan (Australian Sign Language) to written English and inductively coded using thematic analysis.

Results
Participants described a range of factors that supported their mental health, described in four key themes: i) strategic capital, involving active engagement with the deaf community and accessing role models; ii) linguistic and identity capital by embracing Auslan as a preferred language and affirmation of a strong deaf identity; iii) place-based capital reflected in participation in culturally safe spaces, and iv) resilience capital, reflecting participants' internal capacity to adapt to and overcome everyday challenges associated with being deaf . Our findings applied and extended the Deaf Community Cultural Capital (Deaf CCC) framework.

Conclusions
While not a panacea for resolving adverse mental health, access to forms of cultural capital in which deafness was valued appeared to facilitate positive mental health among deaf signing adults. Findings underscore the need for tailored mental health strategies that move beyond deficit-based models and instead invest in the cultural, linguistic, and community strengths of deaf people. Deaf-led spaces can affirm Auslan and deaf identity and ensure culturally safe support that enables resilience and belonging.