Relationship between Self-Esteem and Academic Performance of Hearing-Impaired Students at Kuja School for the Deaf, Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya

Conducted in Kuja School for the Deaf, Rongo Sub-County, Migori County, the research investigated if there existed a relationship in academic performance between students with different levels of self-esteem. Study objectives sought to assess the levels of self-esteem, the academic performance of students with high or low self-esteem and how hearing-impaired students cope as they protect and enhance their self-esteem. Hierarchy of Needs theory propounded by Abraham Maslow guided the study. The theory states that individuals will strive to satisfy higher-level needs when lower needs in the hierarchy are fulfilled. The study also used Person-centred theory by Carl Rogers; this theory posits that a child will attain self-understanding when they accept the self and reality. This study was descriptive in nature and utilized a quantitative approach to collecting data with the use of a mixed questionnaire. The study used Rosenberg's self–esteem assessment tool for the measurement of self-esteem levels, academic performance was measured using examination scores, and coping mechanisms were measured using a Likert scale. Students and administrators of Kuja School for the Deaf made the target population for this study. In total, 290 participants were targeted, and 98 participants were sampled to participate in the study using purposive and simple random sampling. Quantitative data was organized and then analyzed using SPSS version 23; the data was displayed through tables, charts and frequency distributions. From the study, it was deciphered that a majority (77.08%) of the students exhibited high self-esteem, while a few (22.92%) portrayed low self-esteem. The findings also showed that the mean difference between hearing-impaired students showing low self-esteem and students who showed high self-esteem was not statistically significant. The findings further revealed that the students sometimes or often employ various coping strategies, including withdrawal and bicultural skills. This study, therefore, concluded that students with hearing impairment mostly exhibit high self-esteem, and their academic performance is not necessarily determined by self-esteem levels. Further, the study concluded that there are coping strategies that enable students with hearing impairment to protect their personal self-esteem. On the basis of these findings, this study suggests that teachers and administrators of schools for the hearing impaired should seek to understand the needs and challenges of their students, which could be affecting their academic performance and adopt strategies to address them.