Indian Womens’ Emotional Responses to Physical Disability: A Survey Study

Abstract

To compare women’s emotional responses with that of men’s with disability 2. To identify various factors as precursors/reasons of the emotional responses. A prospective survey study was conducted on a convenience sample of persons with disabilities attending various departments of NIOH. Both male and female patients were interviewed and The Loss Inventory was used to identify the emotional responses. T-test was done to know the difference between the emotional responses of men and women patients. There was a statistically significant difference (p-0.002) between the Loss Inventory score of the male and female participants in the study. Women participants endorsed few items of Loss Inventory Questionnaire more than the men participants with disability. Through the interview and the reports of the patient various factors like inability to fulfill the role of a homemaker, difficulty maintaining marriage, poverty, altered body image, are identified to be the precursors/reasons for the emotional responses of women with physical disability. The result of the study showed that both men and women showed varying intensities of emotional responses to physical disability. Women showed more intensity of emotional responses in comparison to men with physical disability. The result of the study may enhance the rehabilitation professional awareness regarding the emotional problems of women with physical disability and thus increasing the sensitivity while diagnosing and treating women with disability.