The impact of disability type and visibility on self‐concept and body image: Implications for mental health nursing
Accessible summary What is known on the subject? Physical appearance, as in the case of individuals with physical disabilities who use a cane, walker or wheelchair, also influence others' reactions and as a result, may lead to one's negative or positive feelings and thoughts. A disability...
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| Published in: | Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing , Vol.26 (3-4), p.77-86 |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | eng |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Request full text |
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| Summary: | Accessible summary
What is known on the subject?
Physical appearance, as in the case of individuals with physical disabilities who use a cane, walker or wheelchair, also influence others' reactions and as a result, may lead to one's negative or positive feelings and thoughts.
A disability that is not observable by others, as in the case of individuals with psychiatric disabilities (mental illnesses), may also have a negative impact on one's feelings and thoughts, due to stigma associated with psychiatric disabilities.
To date, research has mainly focused on the way persons with a noticeable type of disability think about themselves. It is also important to evaluate the impact of disability type on ones' feelings and thoughts, and compare persons with visible and invisible disabilities.
What the paper adds to existing knowledge?
We asked 119 adults (over the age of 18 years) with different types of disabilities to complete a set of questionnaires and found that those who had a disability that was not observable by others (a psychiatric disability) felt more negative about themselves and their body than those who had a disability that was observable by others (a physical disability).
The study extends the current knowledge on the impact of disability type and its visibility on the way persons with disabilities think about themselves.
What are the implications for practice?
The findings suggest that healthcare services should be modified to address the psychological needs of people with different types of disability.
Mental health nurses should identify practices in the community that will improve the feelings and thoughts of consumers with disabilities, and especially those who cope with a psychiatric disability.
Introduction
Individuals with disabilities often face stigma and discrimination, which may negatively affect their self‐concept. To date, research has mainly focused on the psychological implications of living with a noticeable physical disability. Less attention has been given to individuals with invisible psychiatric disabilities as a stigmatized subgroup in the disability community.
Aim
To evaluate the impact of disability type and its visibility on the self‐concept and body image.
Method
A cross‐sectional quantitative study design was implemented to compare the self‐concept and body image of individuals with visible physical disabilities and individuals with invisible psychiatric disabilities (n = 119). Pearson correlations, ANOVA and multiple l |
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| ISSN: | 1351-0126 1365-2850 |