Perceived Family and Organisational Support among People with Dwarfism in Tamil Nadu, India: A Qualitative Inquiry.

Purpose: Despite the fact that society has slowly become more inclusive of those who are viewed as different, people with dwarfism still experience discrimination in every aspect of life. This study aims to understand their perceptions about family and organisational support in combatting the day-to-day challenges they encounter. Method: Face-to-face in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide were conducted with twelve adults with dwarfism. The selected participants were those currently living with their families and with membership in the Tamil Nadu Dwarfism Welfare Association, an NGO, for at least two years. The gathered data was analysed manually using the thematic analysis technique. Results: The major themes that evolved were infrastructural modification, emotional support, access to education, career guidance and partner selection. Each theme had sub-themes which were examined through the lens of both family and organisational support. Conclusion: Support from family can be constructive as well as destructive, often on the basis of the socio-economic status of the immediate family members. On the other hand, support from welfare organisations for the empowerment of people with dwarfism is in general positive. However, the findings from this study cannot be generalised to all people with dwarfism as the study focused solely on the perspectives of members of an organisation, and there were many people who were reluctant to participate in the in-depth interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]