The physically disabled woman's experience of self.
OBJECTIVE
With the Symbolic Interactionism as background it can be argued that physical disabilities and problems with personal appearance may have a negative influence on the physically disabled woman's social-psychological well-being.


METHODS
In order to explore the physically disabled woman's experience of Self, two unstructured interviews were conducted with 40 randomly selected disabled women between the ages of 21 years and 60 years.


RESULTS
It was clear that others in general play an important role in the physically disabled woman's experience of Self. She not only compares herself with others in general, but also desires feedback from them. She accepts her disability but feels that her physical disability results in other people making negative inferences about her.


CONCLUSIONS
This has a negative influence on her Public Self, including her presentation of herself to others and their perceptions of her as a person, as well as her experience of the total Self.
de Klerk
Helena M
HM
Department of Consumer Science, University of Pretoria, Republic of South Africa. deklerk@scientia.up.ac.za
Ampousah
Lucy
L
D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment