Perceived hearing difficulties are associated with poorer school satisfaction and increased peer victimization: results from a large-scale Norwegian study

Introduction Pupils with hearing difficulties face challenges in educational settings that can affect their social interactions and school satisfaction. Yet, few studies capture pupils' perspectives. This study examines associations between perceived hearing difficulties, peer victimization, and school satisfaction among Norwegian pupils. Methods Data were drawn from the Ungdata Pluss study, a population-based survey conducted in Vestfold and Telemark counties with a sample of 6,049 pupils in grades 5–7. Perceived hearing difficulties were assessed with a modified item from the Washington Group Child Functioning Module. Peer victimization was measured with a single item on exclusion, harassment, or threats, while school satisfaction was assessed using four Likert-scale items. Regression analyses were adjusted for gender and grade level. Results Pupils with perceived hearing difficulties had higher odds of frequent peer victimization and reported lower school satisfaction scores. Girls had higher odds of frequent victimization, and both girls and older pupils reported lower school satisfaction. Conclusion Although these associations should be interpreted with caution given the limited explanatory power of the models, the findings suggest that inclusive school practices should attend to both communication access and social participation for pupils with perceived hearing difficulties.