Abstract
<p>This study compares the ethical behaviors of mental health professionals working with both deaf and hearing elderly populations and examines questions about what differences might occur in the behaviors of clinicians working with Deaf older adult clients. Mental health professionals who had identified themselves as working with Deaf clientele were asked to rate each of the 43 behaviors in terms of what extent they engaged in each behavior in their practice. The study's definitions of elderly (age65 +) was applied to four categories (dependent variables) labeled Professional Relationships, Death and Suicide, Payment and Collection, and Research. Results of this study indicate significant differences in how mental health professionals work with Deaf and hearing older adults, in the each of the four categories. Generally, mental health professionals working with elderly Deaf clients appeared to behave with more flexibility toward ethical and legal guidelines than professionals working with elderly hearing clients.</p>
