Exploring disability identity with adolescents.

Abstract

Purpose/Objective: The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore how adolescents conceptualize disability identity and what factors may influence adolescent disability identity development.Research Method/Design: These data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews with 24 middle and high school adolescents with disabilities. The participants had a wide range of disabilities, including physical disabilities, learning disabilities, ADHD, Autism, and others. Analyses started with Hamilton's Rapid Assessment Process followed by identifying structural and in vivo codes using a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis tool to allow for multiple coders and memo writing across the research team. Results: The results indicate that adolescents are undergoing a heterogeneous and complex process to develop their disability identity. Additionally, the salience of the participants' disability identity often varied depending on the environmental context. Furthermore, social connections to peers with and without disabilities played an important role in the development of many participants' disability identities. Conclusions/Implications: These findings suggest that adolescents with disabilities are engaging in a multifaceted meaning-making process to develop a sense of disability identity. Rehabilitation Psychologists and other practitioners can support disabled adolescents by helping them to discuss and develop a positive disability identity. Furthermore, practitioners can help disabled adolescents successfully develop their disability identity in a variety of different settings and contexts. Impact and ImplicationsThis study empirically investigates adolescent disability identity development. Results suggest that disability identity is a salient identity for adolescents. Yet, disabled adolescents seem to still grapple with this identity, and it appears to be more salient in certain contexts and with certain types of peers than with others. Adolescents were excited to share their disability story, and by encouraging these conversations, this will help to make disability identity a valued form of diversity. Rehabilitation psychologists are well-positioned to engage in these conversations with disabled adolescents and to potentially be liaisons between the adolescent and their school psychology team. Furthermore, this work has important implications for providing a knowledge basis to allow for the future building of targeted interventions and therapeutic techniques to help support and positively impact the development of disability identity with adolescents.

Adding some “Cs”: Expanding positive youth development to include disability and identity.

“…We found the most evidence for coping. Youth have recently described using humor, appreciation, and self-reflection to make meaning out of their disability (Forber-Pratt et al, 2021). However, we also found evidence youth engaged in maladaptive coping strategies more often than adaptive coping strategies, which suggests they may need more support in coping and fostering a positive disability identity.…”

“…YWD continue to face many barriers in their environments, relationships, and physical health, requiring them to develop specific skills in navigating constraints. YWD described frustrations in various social situations (e.g., being stared at), environments (e.g., inaccessible classrooms), and situations related to one’s physical body (e.g., pain; Forber-Pratt et al, 2021). These constraints logically would influence one’s identity development, but without inclusion in identity development models, it is unclear how.…”

“…This suggests that the definition of peers could be expanded to include those with overlapping identities, such as those with similar experiences living with a disability. Forber-Pratt et al (2021) found that relationships with disabled peers were helpful for feeling understood, being able to talk about shared problems, feeling more comfortable, and being able to participate in adaptive programs. This research group also found that connection to nondisabled peers was valuable, but disability identity was much less salient and not often discussed with these peers (Forber-Pratt et al, 2021).…”

“…Forber-Pratt and Zape (2017) found only 52 peer-reviewed articles in a PsychINFO search between the years 1985 and 2016 containing the term “disability identity.” Disability identity development within youth populations specifically has even less representation in the literature. While there are a few theoretical models of adult disability identity (see Forber-Pratt et al, 2017), only one preliminary qualitative study has explored youth disability identity (see Forber-Pratt et al, 2021).…”

“…Including these factors in a model of development for YWD is especially important because disability identity is both an individual and a social phenomenon, requiring both internal acceptance and external engagement with the community (Forber-Pratt et al, 2017, 2021). Other variables that could affect identity development in YWD are worth considering, such as type of disability, timing of onset (e.g., congenital vs. acquired), and whether a disability is apparent or nonapparent (Forber-Pratt et al, 2021). Additionally, there could be different influences of disability versus chronic health conditions on identity.…”