Getting on With Life

Positive Experiences of Living With a Spinal Cord Injury

Datos Bibliográficos

ID4637313
AutoresEleanor Weitzner (University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Susan Surca (University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Sarah Wiese (University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Andrea Dion (University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Zoe Roussos (University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Rebecca Renwick (0000-0001-9583-0768, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada), Karen Yoshida (University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, autor de correspondencia)
Año2011
Volumen21
Número11
Páginas1455-1468
Fecha de publicación2011-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaQualitative Health Research (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1049732311417726
PMID21846817
OpenAlexW2107364128
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas7
Referencias citadas34

Currently, the dominant cultural beliefs toward disability are negative, and the existing literature is limited with respect to examining how people are using and/or viewing their disabilities positively. The purpose of this study was to identify how individuals living with a spinal cord injury (SCI) viewed and/or used their disability positively, and what contextual influences facilitated this positive approach. This study was a secondary analysis of qualitative data from a larger study. The findings revealed three levels at which disability was viewed and/or used positively by people with SCI: self, peers, and disability community. In addition, several aspects of the participants' situations were found to facilitate this positive view and/or use of disability: personality, spirituality, support systems, and acceptance of one's disability. The findings reveal that individuals with SCI are viewing and/or using their disabilities positively in many different ways. This study has significant implications for the direction of future research and for health care professionals who need to increase their advocacy and facilitating roles

Alternative medicine · Developmental psychology · International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health · Medical model of disability · Personality · Psychiatry · Qualitative research · Spirituality · Clinical Psychology · Disability Rights and Representation · Family and Disability Support Research · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology · Spinal Cord Injury Research · Rehabilitation