Empathetic Communication Between Children with Normal Hearing and Deaf Parents: A Case Study in Yogyakarta

This study aims to describe empathic communication that occurs between children with normal hearing and deaf parents in Yogyakarta. The research informants were three different family pairs consisting of children with normal hearing, namely MK, YY, and RF, who have deaf parents, namely IW, YN, and IM. This research method uses qualitative descriptive and in-depth interview data collection techniques. Secondary data were obtained from literature studies related to this study. The communication process is created when the communicator meets the requirements for empathic communication in terms of aspects, characteristics, and factors that influence empathic communication. The three informants can carry out empathic communication well in the context between normal-hearing children and deaf parents; however, obstacles still cannot be avoided. The obstacles that occur are that messages are not conveyed to deaf parents and vice versa, resulting in miscommunication due to limitations in delivery through sign language. There are also internal obstacles in the form of personal distress experienced by children. Personal distress is shown in negative emotional reactions such as anxiety or discomfort that arise when facing interpersonal pressure due to having deaf parents. This research opens up opportunities for the development of more targeted interventions to support families with similar characteristics, as well as providing new perspectives on resilience and adaptation in the context of communication limitations.