The meaning of experiencing disability and its effect on one’s perception of society

Abstract

People with physical disabilities, just as other people who have a different appearance or function in a different way may experience negative social mechanisms. Therefore, it is worth asking, what does it mean to experience different stages of the process of accepting one's disability in a society. The research sample consisted of 75 people with physical disabilities. The data was collected using a questionnaire and the Adjective Check List (ACL) by H.B. Gough, A.B. Heilbrun. The first part of this article aims to determine what difficulties are involved in experiencing a disability. Subsequently, the data is presented regarding the perception of the disabled people of: non-disabled people, people with physical disabilities and people with a different type of disability. It turns out, that regardless of the stage of adapting to their own disability, people with a physical disability are most likely to meet with the able-bodied and their own group of people.