Association between strengths use and psychological adjustment to visual impairments among visually impaired individuals

Abstract

This study investigates the association between strengths use and psychological adjustment to visual impairment. Fifty-nine visually impaired individuals (mean age: 49.3 ± 14.8 years; range: 22–82) were assessed using the Strengths Use Scale and the Japanese version of the Nottingham Adjustment Scale (anxiety/depression, self-esteem, attitude to disability, acceptance of disability, locus of control, and self-efficacy). The participants’ sociodemographic and their visual impairment-related information were also collected. A simple regression analysis of the Nottingham Adjustment Scale scores revealed that strengths use was significantly correlated with anxiety/depression, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and acceptance of VI, while multiple regression analyses identified strengths use as the most significant factor correlated with anxiety/depression, self-esteem, and self-efficacy. Strengths use could be a promising means of facilitating better psychological adjustment to visual impairment, although further study is needed to examine the underlying mechanisms involved.