Towards interdependence: reciprocal relationships between students living with disability and their significant others

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study that explored and described how students living with disability construct meaning from their first-year experience through their social systems and interpersonal relationships. Two groups of participants, namely 18 students living with disability and their self-identified significant others were purposively sampled. Data were gathered by means of individual interviews and reflective writing exercises. Interpreted within the social wellbeing framework of Keyes, the findings are consistent with international research and illuminate the pivotal role of parents, peers, and institutional support structures in the lives of first-year students living with disability. This enabling environment (with elements of inclusion, belonging, meaning-making, and reciprocity) is associated with a greater sense of interdependence and has the potential to contribute to all five dimensions of social wellbeing (integration, acceptance, coherence, actualisation, and contribution). Points of interest Support from parents, peers, and the institution is pivotal in the lives of first-year students living with disability. An enabling environment includes elements of belonging and meaning that are beneficial to first-year students living with disability. Acceptance and integration of first-year students living with disability into university life can increase social wellbeing, enabling the students to realise their full potential and providing the opportunity for the students to contribute. A greater sense of interdependence is found in healthy relationships between first-year students living with disability and their significant others.