The relationship between physical disability, social perception and psychological stress.
It was hypothesized that the prevailing attitudes towards the disabled would affect their self-concept and thus the impact of the disability as a stress stimulus. This hypothesis was examined in two separate studies. The first study evaluated the impact of disability context on the evaluations of disabled individuals by the non-disabled. It was found that disabled veterans were evaluated significantly higher than individuals disabled in traffic, work accidents, or as a result of polio. In the second study, the self-concept of disabled veterans was compared to the self-concept of work accident disabled. The disabled veterans had significantly higher self-concept than those of the people disabled in work accidents. The results would appear to demonstrate the relationship between the variables presented in the hypothesis.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D011592:Psychology, Military; D011639:Public Opinion; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000523:psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*