Developing a Positive Disability Identity
Disability Identity refers to possessing a positive sense of self and feelings of connection to, or solidarity with, the disability community. Identities help people make sense of different and distinct parts of their self-concepts. For people with disabilities, an identity should contain relevant content and goals linked to disability.
Disability Narratives are the stories people with disabilities tell about their lives and experiences that can highlight issues of disability identity.
There appear to be six main themes regarding disability identity: communal attachment, affirmation of disability, self-worth, pride, discrimination, and personal meaning.
- Communal Attachment – the importance of community and of people with disabilities being actively engaged with peers due to common experiences.
- Affirmation of Disability – feeling included in society by having the same rights and responsibilities as other citizens and being recognized and treated like everyone else.
- Self-Worth – being able to see oneself as possessing the same worth as individuals who have not experienced a disability.
- Pride – feeling empowered to claim rather than deny or mask one’s disability.
- Discrimination – the awareness and acknowledgement that people with disabilities are often the targets of biased, prejudiced, and unfair treatment.
- Personal Meaning – the acceptance of one’s life situation, which can solidify the meaning of disability while promoting a favorable disability identity.
Retrieved and adapted from APA Spotlight on Disability Newsletter - Thinking about Disability Identity.