Stigma and severity were the strongest predictors of disability identification. Future work should examine ways to foster positive disability identity such as cross-impairment connections through support groups, mentoring, and collective action against stigma. (PsycINFO Database Record
People who identify as sexual minorities consistently face barriers to decent and meaningful employment, especially when coupled with additional constraints such as low socioeconomic status or marginalization experiences. Drawing from the psychology of working theory as our theoretical framework, this study examined the relations of economic constraints (social class) and marginalization (negative sexual minority workplace climate) to work volition, decent work, and meaningful work with a sample of working adults identifying with sexual minority identities. Consistent with hypotheses, social class and workplace climate indirectly predicted decent work, via work volition, and workplace climate also directly predicted decent work. Decent work and work volition were each direct predictors of meaningful work and decent work partially mediated the relation of work volition to meaningful work. Results highlight the importance of advocacy and adequate workplace supports for sexual minority individuals.
Given our knowledge of the underrepresentation of people with disabilities in psychology and the barriers that they face, we aimed to identify disability-related resources that psychology trainees and psychologists with disabilities desired, but did not access, during their education and training. In order to do so, we analyzed from responses to an open-ended item in an online survey of health service psychologists and health service psychology trainees with disabilities. Six key themes emerged: accommodations; mentor and peer support; no specific wanted resources; resources and materials for oneself; disability services offices; and disability training for others. Throughout these themes, there was an overarching reflection of the difficulty and isolation that is often present in the experiences of disabled trainees and psychologists. Consistent with other empirical studies and conceptual and theoretical writings, these findings reveal a wide-spread and long-standing lack of access for trainees with disabilities within health service psychology. Recommendations for creating more disability-affirmative and accessible training environments are included.
Little research has been conducted on the experiences of psychology trainees with disabilities, but there is growing evidence that this group of trainees faces a variety of barriers in their training. In this secondary analysis of data from 41 psychologists and psychology trainees with disabilities, we analyzed participants' responses to an open-ended question regarding what resources they found helpful during their training. Seven themes emerged: (a) no helpful resources; (b) professional supports and organizations; (c) mentor supports; (d) accommodations; (e) peer supports; (f) external supports in the form of health services; and (g) personal supports. Participants identified both formal and informal resources that were helpful, but more than a third of participants said that there were no disability-related resources that were helpful to them during their training. Implications for programs and trainees are discussed.
Public Significance StatementThis article provides novel information on the resources used by psychology trainees with disabilities, an underrepresented and underresearched population, in their training. It provides guidance for supervisors and faculty working with trainees with disabilities, as well as a call to action regarding better support for trainees with disabilities.
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