1. Doing Difference Differently: Identity (Re)Constructions of Adults With Acquired Disabilities.
- Author
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Botha, Shawni C. B. and Harvey, Clare
- Subjects
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GROUP identity , *QUALITATIVE research , *INTERVIEWING , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *THEMATIC analysis , *EXPERIENCE , *ATTITUDE (Psychology) , *RESEARCH methodology , *PHENOMENOLOGY , *CASE studies , *PEOPLE with disabilities , *ADULTS - Abstract
Purpose/Objective: The acquisition of a disability impacts one's corporeality and has been found to destabilize one's sense of personal and social identity. The article explores the psychological and behavioral adaptation strategies that are employed in response to resisting, incorporating, and/or integrating disability into one's identity. We refer to a study that considered factors that facilitate and/or impede disability identification, aiming to investigate the trajectory that the process of identity (re)construction takes. Research Method/Design: Seven individual, in person, semistructured interviews were conducted with adults with acquired physical and sensory disabilities. Data underwent thematic analysis. To encapsulate the intrapersonal as well as interpersonal dynamics inherent in identity (re)construction, the analysis was guided by an interpretative phenomenological lens and social identity theory (SIT). Results: Disability identification is a complex and contradictory phenomenon, with strategies of resistance, incorporation, and/or integration fluctuating by setting and circumstance. These findings represent a significant departure from SIT literature—participants rather made use of more collectivist as opposed to individualistic adaptation strategies. Arguably, progress is being made with regard to disability pride, opening up a space for more positive and affirming disabled identities. Furthermore, disability identification is largely facilitated by greater opportunities for political advocacy and social support—online and in the disabled community. However, stigma—internalized and external—is still a major inhibitory factor to disability identification. Conclusions/Implications: Recommendations for rehabilitation programs and psychological professionals working with acquired physical and sensory disability are proposed. Impact and Implications: This article adds to current literature by detailing a qualitative exploration of the lived experiences of disability identification in adults with acquired disabilities. Theoretically, the article provides a point of departure from social identity theory literature because participants made use of more collectivist as opposed to individualistic adaptation strategies. Collectivist strategies that promote disability identification are largely facilitated by greater opportunities for political advocacy and social support—both online and in person. Thus, rehabilitation facilities for persons who acquire disabilities should create greater awareness around online and in-person disability support forums. Additionally, the article argues that it is the situational and pendular conceptualizations of identity (re)construction that will further our understanding of the disabled experience. Disabled identification is found to fluctuate by setting, circumstance, and whether it can be constructed positively or beneficially for the individual. Rehabilitation centers as well as medical and psychological professionals should move away from linear trajectory models and be trained to incorporate more bidirectional and situational understandings of disability identity (re)construction into their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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