The Responsibiligated Status: Exploring the Experiences of Hearing Children With Deaf Parents

An individual with a disability influences every member of a family. While research on families with children with disabilities is extensive, studies focusing on families with parents with disabilities remain limited. A common situation in the deaf community is a family with deaf parents and hearing children. Children of deaf adults (CODAs) experience unique family dynamics, often acting as language brokers for their deaf parents. This study explores how CODAs navigate dual roles as children and caregivers, particularly in their relationships with parents, siblings and the broader community. Using in-depth interviews with 11 adult CODAs, this qualitative study employed reflexive thematic analysis and provided valuable insights into the distinctive dynamics of this family context. Peer debriefing among CODA and non-CODA researchers ensured analytic trustworthiness. Findings reveal that CODAs' relationships with their parents exist on axes of responsibility and obligation. Three central themes emerged: CODAs' role as interpreters, their place within the family and their ‘responsibiligated’ status—a term coined to describe CODAs' relationships with their parents. This concept advances theoretical innovation that opens new avenues for exploring children's nuanced roles in families with distinct cultural or linguistic backgrounds, potentially informing broader discussions on family dynamics and child development.