The state of the art monograph on research trends in deafness reviews 60 research studies concerning the deaf sponsored by the Social and Rehabilitation Service. The first of four major sections focuses upon research trends in occupational conditions of deaf people and reviews both research and program experimentation studies. The second section, reviewing research on the cognitive aspects of deafness, covers language and thought studies and psycholinguistic studies. The survey of research trends in the psychosocial aspects of deafness reviews personality and psychopathology studies, summarizes research on community services and clinical tools, and predicts future trends in research on the psychosocial aspects of deafness. Research on communication patterns of the deaf is reviewed in two parts: studies analyzing communication and studies dealing with instruction of the deaf in communication skills. (KW)