title: Meaning of Staring and the Starer-Staree Relationship Related to Men Living With Acquired Spinal Cord Injuries.
abstract: When in public places, many individuals with physical disabilities experience staring. Although staring is typically seen as uncomplicated and something to be "ignored," it has consequences for the person being stared and the staree. Few studies have focused on staring experienced by men following spinal cord injury (SCI). Accordingly, this study explored how adult men with SCI give meaning to the staring from others, the consequences for them, and their responses to the staring and to the starer. Principles of modified grounded theory methods were used to conduct a secondary analysis of interview data for 30 male participants from a larger study of community-dwelling individuals with SCI. Themes revealed through analysis related to context-dependent meanings of staring, negative consequences of staring for some men, and positive opportunities for self-growth and interaction with the public. These findings contribute to a more complex understanding of staring and the relationship between the starer and staree in various social circumstances which can support people living with differences in their public interactions, and improve their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Renwick
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eacrett
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rose
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: disability; impact of staring; rehabilitation; spinal cord injury; starer–staree relationships