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Disability means, um dysfunctioning people: a qualitative analysis of the meaning and experience of disability among adults with intellectual disabilities

Monteleone, Rebecca, Forrester-Jones, Rachel (2016) Disability means, um dysfunctioning people: a qualitative analysis of the meaning and experience of disability among adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 30 (2). pp. 301-315. ISSN 1360-2322. E-ISSN 1468-3148. (doi:10.1111/jar.12240) (KAR id:53000)

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Abstract

Background

There has been little qualitative analysis of the experience of stigma, social comparisons and conception of identity among adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study aimed to develop an understanding of how adults with intellectual disabilities experience their own disability, and any implications relating to self-esteem, stigma and social interactions.

Materials and Methods

Fifteen adults with intellectual disabilities were interviewed using semi-structured, open-ended questions regarding disability, social interactions and self-esteem. Interviews were analysed independently by two researchers using interpretive phenomenological analysis.

Results

Three major themes emerged during analysis, exploring pressure on participants to behave in a socially normative way, tendency to produce personal definitions of disability and consistently limited knowledge of and discomfort around common disability terminology.

Conclusions

Participants' clearly experienced feelings of difference, despite a lack of articulation. Limited understanding of both terminology and conceptualization of disability status could negatively impact self-esteem, person-centred actions and political movement.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1111/jar.12240
Subjects: H Social Sciences
Divisions: Divisions > Division for the Study of Law, Society and Social Justice > School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research > Tizard
Depositing User: Jo Ruffels
Date Deposited: 10 Dec 2015 09:27 UTC
Last Modified: 17 Aug 2022 12:20 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/53000 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Forrester-Jones, Rachel.

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