Disability Identity Research Articles

Identity, mental health, and ableism in Australian schools: findings from a multi-stakeholder survey

Ableism is a serious problem in schools across Australia and internationally. Our mixed method survey investigated who is impacted by school student experiences of ableism and how they are affected. It captured insights from students, parents, teachers, and support staff (N = 298). Data revealed participant experiences of overt, and insidious ableism were associated with poor mental health of disabled students and parents identifying as the ‘problem parent’. Participants reported concerning experiences of ableism in childhood and adolescence, a developmentally relevant period of identity building. Noted too were the adverse consequences of student experiences of ableism upon the well-being of others, including teachers and school support staff. Findings were examined in the context of extant literature highlighting the protective role generated by forming a disability identity. Study results include participant recommendations for addressing ableism and a compelling rationale for schools to actively diminish ableism and nurture disability social identity.

Construction and Reification of Identities: A Re-reading of Midnight's Children Using the Theoretical Framework of Disability Studies

In Salaman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children (Rushdie, 1981), the complex theme of identity is explored through a postcolonial lens, revealing how societal perceptions shape individual identities. Specifically, the novel portrays the disabled identity through its protagonist, Saleem Sinai, who has physical differences that significantly impact his sense of self. This research article conducts a close reading and critical analysis of the text to understand how disabled identities are constructed and reinforced in society, influencing public opinion, attitudes, and behaviors towards individuals with differences. Furthermore, the article examines the problematic representation of diverse identities in both the novel and society, highlighting the need for a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of identity.

Belonging in dual roles: exploring professional identity formation among disabled healthcare students and clinicians.

The development of a robust professional identity is a pivotal aspect of every healthcare professional's educational journey. Critical social perspectives are increasingly influencing the examination of professional identity formation within healthcare professions. While understanding how disabled students and practitioners integrate a disability identity into their professional identity is crucial, we have limited knowledge about the actual formation of their professional identity. This study aims to investigate how disabled students and clinicians in healthcare professions actively shape their professional identity during their educational and professional journeys. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 27 students and 29 clinicians, conducting up to three interviews per participant over a year, resulting in 124 interviews. Participants represented five healthcare professions: medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and social work. Employing a constructivist grounded theory approach, our data analysis revealed two prominent dimensions: (a) The contextualization of identity formation processes and (b) The identity navigation dimension in which the professional identity and disability identity are explored. This emerging model sheds light on the dynamic processes involved in identity formation, emphasizing the significance of a supportive environment for disabled students and practitioners. Such an environment fosters the negotiation of both professional and disability identities. Moreover, this study recognizes the importance of a re-examination of the concepts of professionalism and professional identity in healthcare professions. In conclusion, this research underscores the importance of understanding and supporting the multifaceted identity formation processes among disabled individuals within healthcare professions.

“I don't care about my mental health because I have a physical disability”: A qualitative study on the mental healthcare-seeking behaviours of people with disabilities in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, people living with disabilities are one of the most vulnerable groups, as they receive little or no assistance. They face numerous challenges regarding financial, social, and access to basic education and healthcare, which contribute to experiences of distress and mental health issues. However, there is limited research on the mental health needs of people with disabilities and the accessibility of mental health services in Bangladesh. This qualitative study addresses this gap by examining the mental healthcare-seeking behaviours of people with disabilities and challenges in care-seeking pathways and recommendations for devising an inclusive system in existing mental health services through key informant interviews and focus group discussions with 55 participants from four stakeholder groups. Findings highlight that limited mental health, literacy, stigma, and financial and logistical challenges, such as inaccessible transportation and distant facilities, hinder access to care. System-level barriers, including a lack of specialists and inadequate community-based services, further exacerbate the issue. Stakeholders recommended strengthening social support systems by providing disability identity cards, allowances, and access to inclusive education and employment opportunities. They also emphasized the need for awareness campaigns, better transportation options, and training for healthcare workers. Policymakers are urged to design culturally relevant needs-based interventions to improve mental healthcare pathways for people with disabilities while promoting multisectoral collaboration.

“People talk about FASD diagnosis but barely any young people are asked about it”: Diagnosis perspectives and disability identity in adolescents with FASD

PurposeYoung people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are underrepresented in research and in public/professional discourse around the diagnosis and the impact of this disability. This study explores adolescents’ views about their self and disability identity, and knowledge and attitude towards the FASD diagnosis. MethodEight adolescents aged 12–19 years with an FASD diagnosis and in education, participated in this study. Data were collected online using Photovoice methodology and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. ResultsAdolescents expressed positive views of their FASD diagnosis in terms of its salience for self-understanding. They provided biological and causal explanations of FASD but there were no attributes of blame or shame towards biological parents. Adolescents primarily self-identified with personality traits and interests/hobbies but acknowledged FASD as part of their identity. As the adolescents developed their disability identity, parents and peers played different roles in the provision of information, support, and disclosure of the diagnosis. ConclusionThe views expressed by adolescents with FASD about the value and impact of the FASD diagnosis, and the disability identity process, were similar to other groups of young people with different neurodevelopmental and physical conditions. Self-understanding and advocacy relating to diagnosis and disability during adolescence can enhance wellbeing, access to supports and a positive self-identity. Professionals across different services can play a proactive role to develop the positive disability identity of adolescents with FASD.

The arts as a tool for identity development: how an arts-integrated writers’ workshop fostered sense of self and agency in disabled students / Las artes como herramienta para el desarrollo identitario: cómo un taller de escritura que integra las artes fomentó el autoconcepto y la agencia en estudiantes con discapacidad

This exploratory, qualitative case study examines the interplay between identity, arts integration and agency in an arts-integrated writing workshop for 10 disabled high school students in the United States. Participants were enrolled in a language arts classroom that offered a writers’ workshop every Tuesday for 16 weeks. Classroom observations, questionnaires, interviews and students’ artefacts provided insight into how the workshop served as a space for students to consider how to integrate their disability identity into their overall sense of self and the agency to choose when and how they wanted to share this part of themselves. This study expands upon current research by highlighting how arts integration equips disabled students with tools to cultivate a sense of self, develop agency and challenge normative discourse.

“Be better. Do better.” Experiencing middle school as a gender-fluid pansexual student with a disability

Students with disabilities who identify as LGBTQ+ often experience obstacles at school that can have a profound adverse impact on their social and emotional well-being. This exploratory ethnographic study used thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews to understand how middle school LGBTQ+ (in this case, gender-fluid pansexual) students with disabilities feel about peers, teachers, and school. Furthermore, this study used self-portraits as artifacts in the vein of portraiture to examine how participants viewed themselves as students at school. Participants’ perceptions of disability, gender, and sexual identity were examined. This study expands on existing intersectional research of LGBTQ+ youth with disabilities by providing qualitative insight from middle school students. Data analysis yielded three common themes of student experiences: Gender and sexuality acceptance and inclusivity, the risk of “coming out” as disabled, and the adverse impact of school on mental health and self-expression. Findings emphasize the importance of making schools safe, anti-ableist, LGBTQ+ affirming, and inclusive of diverse populations and forms of expression.

Academic Coverage of Online Activism of Disabled People: A Scoping Review

Disabled people need to be activists given the many problematic lived realities they face. However, they frequently encounter obstacles in traditional offline activism. Online activism could be a potential alternative. The objective of this scoping review is to examine the extent and nature of the coverage of disabled people in the academic literature that focuses on online activism. We searched the abstracts in Scopus, Web of Science, and the 70 databases in EBSCO-HOST for the presence of 57 terms linked to online activism or online tools or places for online activism, which generated 18,069 abstracts for qualitative analysis. Of the 18,069 abstracts, only 54 discussed online the activism by disabled people. Among these 54 relevant abstracts, only one contained the term “Global South”. No relevant abstracts were found that contained the terms “Metaverse” or “Democrac*” together with “activis*”. Only two relevant abstracts contained the phrase “digital citizen*”. Out of the 57 terms, 28 had no hits. The thematic analysis identified 24 themes: 6 themes in 30 abstracts had a positive sentiment, 7 themes in 30 abstracts had a negative sentiment, and 11 themes present in 23 abstracts had a neutral sentiment. There were three main themes: the positive role and use of online activism; the technical accessibility barriers to online activism; and the attitudinal accessibility problems arising from ableist judgments. The intersectionality of the disability identity with other marginalized identities and the issue of empowerment were rarely addressed, and ability judgment-based concepts beyond the term’s “ableism” and “ableist” were not used. The study underscores the necessity for further research given the few relevant abstracts found. The study also indicates that actions are needed on barriers to online activism and that examples for best practices exist that could be applied more often. Future studies should also incorporate a broader range of ability judgment-based concepts to enrich the analysis and to support the empowerment of disabled activists.

The Impact of Ableist Microaggressions on Identity Formation Among Adults With Disabilities

This study examined the impact of ableist microaggressions on the formation of a disability identity, with a heavy focus on the microinsult of presumed lack of intellect. Participants were 267 adults with cognitive and/or physical disabilities, ages 18 to 65, living in the United States. Experiences of ableist microaggressions were assessed using online survey data. Our analyses indicated ableist microaggressions appear to increase pride in a person’s disability instead of the negative impact that was originally hypothesized. However, the microinsult of presumed lack of intellect was correlated with increased shame towards disability as hypothesized, also negatively impacting one’s acceptance of their disability identity. Results also showed there is statistical significance when comparing gender differences in amount of ableist microaggressions encountered. Strengths, limitations, clinical implications, and directions for future research are discussed.

"Motherhood forced me to cope with my disability": identity intersection among mothers with physical disabilities.

Although motherhood plays a meaningful role in the formation of a woman's identity, most studies have focused on the process of identity transformation in the transition to motherhood among non-disabled women; less is known about this process among women with physical disabilities who become mothers. The present study aimed to understand and describe the subjective experiences of Israeli women with lifelong physical disabilities in their motherhood journey from the perspective of the intersection of their motherhood and disability identities, and from the disability studies approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 Israeli mothers with visible lifelong physical disabilities who live in the community and raise their children. Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) the decision to become a mother: Coping with the disability identity for the first time; (2) The FIRST 3 years: Depending on others as limiting their motherhood identity; (3) after age three: Balancing the motherhood and disability identities. The transition to motherhood led to identity transformation among women with physical disabilities. Becoming a mother increased the tension between dependence and independence in the context of disability, which also influenced the intersection of their motherhood and disability identities and their wellbeing. Practitioners should provide emotional support to mothers with disabilities and help them embrace the positive aspects of each identity and strike a balance between them.

Someone Like Me? Disability Identity and Representation Perceptions

AbstractStudies have shown that citizens from minoritized groups, including women and people of color, tend to feel better represented by politicians who share their identity, often translating into electoral support. Is this also the case for disabled people, one of the largest yet often ignored minority groups in our societies? Analyses of data from a conjoint survey experiment with 6,000 respondents in the UK and US show that disabled people indeed feel better represented by disabled candidates. This representational link does not require a sense of group identity and is only partly explained by perceptions of shared policy preferences. The study also reveals that non-disabled people feel better represented by non-disabled candidates. The findings highlight the relevance of disability as a political identity, bolstering calls for more disabled people in politics, and might help explain the disability gaps in political trust and participation.

Disability Identity and Perceptions of Institutional Fairness and Climate in Academic Medicine

This cross-sectional study examines whether students and employees with or without disabilities at a major academic medical center in the US feel respected and are treated equitably at their institution

A distinctive profession? Building professional identity and knowledge for intellectual disability nursing education.

Intellectual disability nursing students can struggle to build a professional identity and make sense of their extensive curriculum and its application to practice. In this article Legitimation Code Theory (LCT) and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) are used to facilitate an examination of the organising principles underlying intellectual disability nursing and the relationships agents construct between intellectual disability and other nursing divisions. In particular this paper explores the relationship with general nursing, and examines the connections and boundaries that intellectual disability nursing builds with general nursing, and their implications. LCT and CDA are used to examine how access to theory for intellectual disability nursing students, as compared to their general nursing peers, is facilitated. The bases of specialisation in intellectual disability nursing is also explored. This article considers how these findings can contribute to strengthening the professional identity of the intellectual disability nurse and building the related knowledge base.

Athlete identity in para-sport: A comparative study of athletes with congenital and acquired disabilities

BackgroundIdentity development explores how individuals perceive themselves based on their life experiences, including their current self and aspirations. Athlete Identity has been studied using a 4-factor framework across various sports and ability groups. However, there is limited research on how individuals with physical disabilities perceive themselves as athletes and how an acquired disability impacts identity compared to a congenital disability. ObjectiveTo test the validity of the 4-Factor Model of Athlete Identity and to determine if athletic identity differs between para-athletes who have congenital versus acquired disabilities. MethodsSecondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. Participants consisted of 408 individuals (8 years and older) who play wheelchair basketball (n = 315 male; 29.13 ± 13.89 yrs; M ± SD) who responded to a brief online questionnaire including basic demographics and the 10-item Athlete Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS). ResultsNo significant differences in total AIMS scores were found between participants with congenital disabilities and participants with acquired disabilities. Age was a significant covariate. Eigenvalue analysis of the AIMS scores shows that 2 factors describe this population of athletes. ConclusionsDisability acquisition is not associated with total AIMS scores. Athletic identity is weaker in older participants suggesting a more inclusive self-schema as one ages. The 4-factor model of Athletic Identity is not applicable in this population. Continued research into the intersection of athlete and disability identity is warranted. Abstract presentedNorth American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, 2019.

Language preferences of youth with visual impairments

Both identity-first and person-first language can be appropriate when writing about disability. Identity-first language (IFL) places the disability identifier first in the syntax of the sentence (visually impaired athlete), while person-first language (PFL) places the descriptor of the person before the descriptor of the disability (athlete with a visual impairment). The extent to which individuals with disabilities identify with a disability culture is affected by the development of their own identity in relation to their disability, and may impact language choices. Furthermore, the stage with which an individual is at concerning their disability identity development could impact their decision on PFL versus IFL. Whether the disability is congenital or acquired and whether the condition is temporary, permanent, or progressive are additional considerations impacting identity formation and language preferences. Current tensions exist regarding the use of IFL versus PFL, particularly between practitioners and disabled individuals.

Disability Identity Development Scale: A validation study among college students with disabilities.

(a) To investigate the construct validity of the DIDS scores at the item and factor level using item response theory (IRT) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); (b) to investigate convergent validity of the DIDS scores with related constructs; and (c) to determine the reliability of each DIDS factor. A convenience sample of 210 undergraduate college students with disabilities enrolled in a west coast 4-year public university participated in this study. Measures included the DIDS, the University Belongingness Questionnaire, and the College Self-Efficacy Inventory. Data were analyzed using the Rasch IRT framework, CFA, Omega reliability, and correlational analyses. IRT and CFA results revealed the data fit a 36-item, four-factor DIDS structure. Three items in the factor measuring adoption of disability community values items were easier, and four items in the factor measuring contribution to the disability community were difficult as compared with other DIDS items. Omega reliability analyses showed strong reliability for each DIDS factor. Correlation analyses found convergent and discriminant validity evidence for the DIDS with correlations with the University Belongingness Questionnaire and College Self-Efficacy Inventory in the hypothesized direction and magnitude. Findings provide evidence for Forber-Pratt and colleagues' theoretically and empirically derived DIDS, advancing the research, measurement, and practical application of disability identity development. Results are aligned with Forber-Pratt's psychosocial model of disability identity theoretical framework. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Disability Identity Development Scale: A Validation Study Among College Students With Disabilities

Supplemental Material for Disability Identity Development Scale: A Validation Study Among College Students With Disabilities

Disability and Identity in English- and Spanish-Speaking Individuals of Mexican Descent

The purpose of this study was to assess disability identity among Spanish- and English-speaking individuals of Mexican descent. This was an online, cross-sectional study with self-report measures. One-hundred thirty-six persons of Mexican descent (i.e., first, second, and third generation) addressed three research questions: (a) What is the relationship between disability identity and specific types of disability factors? (b) Do differences in disability identities exist across gender? (c) Do differences in disability identities exist across household language use? Participants with chronic conditions, assistive devices, and mental health conditions answered no to the disability identity question. More women with chronic conditions, who used assistive devices, or with mental health conditions denied a disability identity compared with men. Individuals from Spanish-speaking households were more likely to report a mental health diagnosis and deny disability identity compared with those from English-speaking households. English-only surveys that use a single disability identity question will undercount Mexican Americans who are more comfortable with or are predominantly speaking Spanish. There are subtle changes in meaning and emphasis from English to Spanish. This may represent the need to increase cultural competence for health professionals, including the level and preference of linguistically appropriate services, and identify the need for translating materials and intervention protocols. Policies related to mental health and disability should be available in Spanish to increase information related to mental illnesses that potentially qualify as a disability.

Social media use among neurodivergent college students: benefits, harms and implications for education

PurposeSocial media have been associated with social benefits and enhanced psychological well-being among non-disabled individuals; the purpose of this study is to examine whether social media may have similar benefits for young neurodivergent adults with autism, anxiety, or attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder who may experience communication differences. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this first-of-its kind study explores the nature of social media use and related psychological well-being among neurodivergent college undergraduates.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study is part of a larger effort. The authors surveyed undergraduates with and without disabilities at U.S. higher education institutions on their social media use and psychological well-being. A total of 131 students responded, including 24 neurodivergent individuals, the results of which are reported elsewhere. Participants were 18–25 years old, of varied genders and racial/ethnic backgrounds; for neurodivergent adults, questions focused on social challenges. From the survey, a sample of five neurodivergent individuals was drawn for this small-scale, exploratory interview study.FindingsThis paper reports descriptive statistics from survey results to contextualize analysis of students’ social media use (e.g. purposes, practices, benefits and harms). Students used mainly Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to promote well-being primarily through engaging positive relationships and positive emotions. Students reported several benefits of using social media to develop their disability identity and few harms.Originality/valueUnderstanding the impact of social media use on undergraduates with disabilities could help us not only improve services as teachers, counselors and other helping professionals who support young adults to leverage their everyday technologies-in-use but also address digital equity issues.

‘Identity as work’: Water‐army and disability employment in digital China

AbstractThe proliferation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) over the past few decades has changed the world of work. Although extensive studies have discussed the impact of ICTs on work forms and labour relations, scarce attention has been paid to work–identity dynamics in digitally enabled contexts, let alone the issues faced by marginalised people such as disabled people. This article attempts to fill the gaps by examining the relationship between cyber work, identity, and disability in digital China. By analysing ‘water army’ (shuijun), a unique type of cyber work, the article proposes an ‘identity as work’ scenario that includes the production and commodification of identity as the work content, the development of a workable, in‐control identity as the most important return, and the organisation of work around the disability identity. The findings suggest a new and more complex interaction between (marginal) people's identity strategies and work‐related social norms.