The Transition to Adulthood of Young People With Deafness From an Integrated Perspective: A Bibliometric Review

Abstract

The transition to adulthood for young people with deafness—whether they communicate through spoken language, sign language, or a bilingual modality, and whether or not they use hearing prostheses—represents a critical milestone in youth development. This stage is shaped by decisions that impact their autonomy, social inclusion, and civic participation. However, the scientific literature addressing this topic remains fragmented across various academic disciplines. The aim of this study is to identify the prevailing thematic trends, key authors, institutions, and core research areas in the field, as well as to highlight existing gaps. The findings cluster into four main thematic areas: childhood hearing intervention and age-related hearing loss, identity and communication, and inclusion and hearing disability. This bibliometric analysis offers critical insights to support the development of more comprehensive and interdisciplinary studies on the transition to adulthood among young people with deafness.