The Impacts of Stigma on People with Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Disability stigma has become a popular research topic in the past twenty years. Researchers find people tend to hide their disability to avoid stigmatization. This study systematically examines the impacts of stigma on people with disabilities.  It offers a theoretical foundation for establishing effective interventions to reduce the disability stigma in the future. The paper searches articles related to the impacts of disability stigma through the online database, then analyzes the impacts of stigma on disabled people through social access and support, life experiences, and psychological perception. Findings indicate that stigma has negative impacts on disabled people’s social access and support, life experiences, and psychological perceptions.