Work

Self-reported disability among Norwegian children: prevalence and methodological insights into the relational model of disability

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: AIM: Identifying disability among children in surveys is important for improving public health initiatives. However, this process is challenging, as different measurement approaches and cut-offs impact prevalence rates. This study aims to assess disability using non-relational and relational models with different cut-offs to reveal the differences in prevalence, and to examine differences in life satisfaction between children with and without disabilities based on the varying measures. METHOD: This cross-sectional study used data from 6049 Norwegian children (10-13 years). We assessed non-relational disability using Washington Group questions about functional limitations. We additionally measured perceived barriers in school and leisure for those who reported functional limitations, to assess disability according to the relational model. Different cut-offs were applied for both measures. Linear regression analysis was used to investigate differences in life satisfaction between children with and without disabilities for all measures. RESULTS: Disability prevalence rates were lower under the relational model compared to the non-relational model across all cut-offs, indicating that many children who were identified as disabled in the non-relational model do not experience hindrances in school or leisure. For example, with the 'often or more' cut-off, the non-relational model showed a 27.6% prevalence, while the relational model showed 8.2%. Life satisfaction was significantly lower among children with disabilities compared to their peers without disabilities, with larger differences observed when using the relational model.

Source: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.1177/14034948251409588

Authors: Christian Møller-Skau, Lars Bauger, Sharham Moradi, Catherine A. N. Lorentzen

Institution: University of South-Eastern Norway

Language: English

Topic: Disability Rights and Representation

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,400