2005/10/01 by Barbara J. Lutz, Barbara J. Bowers · 85 citations
Social Sciences · Psychology · #Disability Rights and Representation #Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport #Disability Education and Employment #Psychology #Medical model of disability #Perception #Everyday life #Inclusion (mineral) #Developmental psychology #Social psychology
paper · doi:10.1177/1049732305278631
published in Qualitative Health Research 15(8), 1037-1054 (SAGE Publishing)
openalex publication_date 2005/10/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04
The authors explored how persons with disabilities perceived the experience of disability in their everyday lives. The findings suggest that the current models in the literature do not address disability adequately. Instead, disability was described as a multifaceted, complex experience that is integrated into the lives of persons with disabilities. The degree to which integration was possible was influenced by three disability-related factors: (a) the fundamental effects of the disabling condition, (b) others' perceptions of disability, and (c) the need for and use of resources. Important contextual conditions included the environment, time, and experience. Ultimately, it was the match between how these persons perceived themselves and what was important in their lives, and the influence of the three factors that determined how well they were able to integrate disability into their lives. The findings suggest the need for a conceptual model that reflects the personal experience of disability.