Disability Community Leaders' Disability Indentity Development: A Journey of Integration and Expansion
Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the disability identity development process of leaders of the disability community. Specifically, this study examined the cultural values, beliefs and assumptions individual participants held about their disability, what and who were the major influences on how they viewed themselves as disabled people and how their views of their disability changed over time. The study employed the qualitative methodology of in-depth, semi-structured interviewing to gather the data. Interviews were coded, coded data was entered into and sorted by Atlas ti, a software program for managing qualitative data and a coding auditor confirm identity “positions.” The findings show that disability identity develops in a dual-dimensional process. The first process is integrating disability positively into one’s sense of self and oneself into the disability community. The second process involves the expansion of understanding the disability experience to include an increasing variety of disabilities, other diverse communities struggling for equal rights, and finally, a spiritual sense of oneness with all of humanity. Factors that played an important role in participants ’ disability identity development were the cultural beliefs, values and assumptions about disability in their
Author: Joy Elizabeth Weeber
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2519997326