Disability community and mental health among college students with physical disabilities. 2021

Bradley J Minotti, and Katherine M Ingram, and Anjali J Forber-Pratt, and Dorothy L Espelage
College of Education, School of Special Education, School Psychology, and Early Childhood Studies, University of Florida.

OBJECTIVE College students with physical disabilities are often at a higher risk for mental health problems. In addition, some universities have created disability community spaces, but it is not known whether these spaces are associated with social support or increased mental health and well-being among students who use them. This study investigated differences in feelings of perceived social support, depressive symptomatology, and well-being between students with physical disabilities who live in general student housing and students with physical disabilities who live in a disability community. Research Methods/Design: A mixed-methods online survey was used to collect data from students with physical disabilities who lived in a disability community and from those who did not. Of the participants, 27 college students self-identified as having a physical disability (n = 27), 11 participants lived in the disability community (n = 11), and 16 did not (n = 16). RESULTS The quantitative results indicated statistically significant differences between the two groups on all three measures. The open-ended responses revealed that those who lived in the disability community setting felt more connected to other students with physical disabilities. However, the results also showed that many students with physical disabilities felt socially disconnected for a myriad of reasons. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that living in a disability community may be associated with feeling socially supported and improved mental health outcomes among college students with physical disabilities. Universities and other stakeholders should consider implementing programs to foster disability community among students with physical disabilities. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008603 Mental Health Emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual or group. Mental Hygiene,Health, Mental,Hygiene, Mental
D011795 Surveys and Questionnaires Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions. Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D006233 Disabled Persons Persons with physical or mental disabilities that affect or limit their activities of daily living and that may require special accommodations. Handicapped,People with Disabilities,Persons with Disabilities,Physically Challenged,Physically Handicapped,Physically Disabled,Disabilities, People with,Disabilities, Persons with,Disability, Persons with,Disabled Person,Disabled, Physically,Handicapped, Physically,People with Disability,Person, Disabled,Persons with Disability,Persons, Disabled
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013334 Students Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program. School Enrollment,Enrollment, School,Enrollments, School,School Enrollments,Student
D014495 Universities Educational institutions providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees. University

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