TITLE:
Fraternal Dynamics and Academic Performance of Hearing and Deaf Learners in Inclusive Schools in Burkina Faso
AUTHORS:
Sekma Gustave Zongo, Bawala Léopold Badolo
KEYWORDS:
Sibling Relationships, Academic Performance, Deaf Children
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.4,
April
10,
2026
ABSTRACT: In the Burkinabè educational context, deaf children are exposed to affective and sensory vulnerabilities that can significantly influence their sibling relationships. These dynamics may foster a sense of belonging and emotional regulation or, conversely, heighten exclusion and stigmatization. This study examines the impact of sibling anxiety on academic performance in French and mathematics. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of Vygotsky (1978), Bowlby (1969), and Bronfenbrenner (2000), the study was conducted with 111 participants (77 students, 24 parents, and 10 teachers) in the Kadiogo and Nando regions. Research tools included the Family Drawing Test, the Sibling Relationship Questionnaire (SRQ), interview guides, and grades from harmonized examinations. Data were processed using regression analyses (SPSS 27) and manual content analysis. The analyses indicate that sibling anxiety is not a statistically significant predictor at the conventional 5% threshold. However, the study reveals marginal significance trends (0.05 p p = 0.082) and more specifically among deaf boys (beta = -0.468; p = 0.067). These results reflect a more pronounced emotional vulnerability in deaf students, whose cognitive load appears saturated by tensions within the family microsystem, thereby hindering the scaffolding necessary for linguistic learning. In contrast, deaf girls demonstrate greater resilience through more robust emotional regulation mechanisms. Although limited by the small sample size (n = 77 learners) and confounding factors such as modest family socio-economic status, this research calls for an evolution in inclusive education systems. We advocate for the implementation of “Inclusive School Life Councils” to mediate sibling conflicts and the creation of parental awareness resources aimed at transforming the sibling bond into a source of support rather than a source of anxiety.