PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT AND LEARNER OUTCOMES AMONG LEARNERS WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENT IN INCLUSIVE SCHOOLS IN BAULENI, ZAMBIA

Background: Learners with hearing impairment may be physically included in mainstream school settings while remaining excluded from communication, counselling and supportive relationships. This study examined the availability and perceived effectiveness of psychological support and its association with learner outcomes in selected inclusive schools in Bauleni, Lusaka. 
Methods: A convergent mixed-methods case-study design was used. Fifty learners and 12 teachers completed questionnaires. Individual semi-structured interviews involved six of the same teachers, three guidance teachers or counsellors, and ten parents or guardians. Learner recruitment followed a census of the confirmed accessible population. Adult participants were selected purposively. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and exploratory simple regression; interview data were analysed thematically, and both strands were integrated during interpretation. 
Results: Psychological support was moderately available. Parent encouragement and teacher checking were rated more positively than communication-accessible counselling. Psychological support was positively associated with academic participation (r = 0.69, p < .001), emotional wellbeing (r = 0.73, p < .001), resilience (r = 0.66, p < .001) and self-esteem (r = 0.69, p < .001). Interview findings showed that encouragement, accessible communication, peer acceptance and parent-school collaboration supported confidence and participation, whereas limited staff, sign-language proficiency, private space, resources and referral pathways reduced support quality. 
Conclusion: Effective psychological support should be implemented as a communication-accessible, school-wide and family-linked system rather than as counselling alone. The cross-sectional, unadjusted findings indicate associations and should not be interpreted causally.