Research Population and Setting
All the children included in this study were enrolled at the California School for the Deaf in Berkeley between January and September 1966. This is one of the two residential schools for the deaf operated by the State. Minimum age for admission is five-and-a-half. Pupils either graduate or must leave the school by the age of 21 years. School population is approximately 500. In January 1966, 60 children (12%) who had both a deaf father and a deaf mother were enrolled. One was excluded because the parents did not wish to participate. Thus, 59 deaf children with deaf parents formed the base of the study population. Each of these children was matched individually with a child of hearing parents.Matching was done on the basis of sex,age,IQ test score,degree of residual hearing,and family size. 2 Some attempt was made to equate family socioeconomic status family using the father’s occupation as a measure