Understanding the Experience of Disability: Perspectives from Social and Rehabilitation Psychology

by Dana S. Dunn

Overview

Rehabilitation psychologists have long argued that situational constraints (e.g., missing ramps, lack of Braille signage, nondisabled peoples' attitudes) create greater social barriers and behavioral restrictions for people with disabilities (PWDs) than do the disabilities themselves. In other words, as social psychologist Kurt Lewin argued, situational factors, including the perceptions and actions of other people, often have greater impact on the experience of disability than do the personal qualities of PWDs themselves. Thus, the experience of disability is shaped by a variety of psychosocial forces and factors, some of which enhance while others hinder daily living. For adequate understanding and to plan constructive interventions, psychological science must attend to how the disabled person and the situation interact with one another. Understanding the Experience of Disability: Perspectives from Social and Rehabilitation Psychology is an edited book containing chapters written by social and rehabilitation psychologists who study how social psychological theory can inform our understanding of the experience of disability and rehabilitation. Chapters are arranged topically into four sections: Established areas of inquiry (e.g., stigma, social biases, stereotyping), mainstream topics (e.g., women, culture and race, aging), emerging issues (e.g., implicit attitudes, family and parenting issues, positive psychology), and issues of injustice, advocacy, and social policy (e.g., perceived injustice, disability advocacy, policy implications). Besides informing advanced undergraduate and graduate students and professional (researchers, practitioners) audiences, the book will help families and caregivers of PWDs, policy makers, and PWDs themselves, understand the social psychological processes linked to disability.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190848088
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	05/31/2019
Series:	Academy of Rehabilitation Psychology Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dana S. Dunn, PhD, is Professor of Psychology and Director of Academic Assessment at Moravian College. A social psychologist by training, his scholarship examines teaching, learning, and liberal education as well as the social psychology of disability. He received the Charles L. Brewer Award for Distinguished Teaching from the American Psychological Foundation in 2013. Dunn will serve as President of the American Psychological Association's Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) in 2020.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Preface and Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 - Social Psychological Perspectives on Disability
Dana S. Dunn

Established Areas of Inquiry

Chapter 2 - Disability Stigma: Causes, Consequences, and Strategies for Change
Katie Wang & Leslie Ashburn-Nardo

Chapter 3 - Judging Disability: Some Biases Identified by Social Psychology and Rehabilitation Psychology
Dana S. Dunn

Chapter 4 - Disability's Incompetent-but-Warm Stereotype Guides Selective Empathy: Distinctive Cognitive, Emotional, and Neural Signatures
Jennifer Wu & Susan T. Fiske

Chapter 5 - Reducing Prejudice towards People with Disabilities
Rana Yaghmaian, Kanako Iwanaga, Jia-Rung Wu, Xiangli Chen, Emre Umucu, Jing Tao, Hanoch Livneh, and Fong Chan

Chapter 6 - Rehabilitation Psychology's Foundational Principles and Social Psychological Theory: Intersections and Applications in Global Health
Jacob A. Bentley, Jamie L. Tingey, Jeremiah Lum, & Shuen-En Ho

Chapter 7 - Social and Psychological Factors Affecting Coping with and Adjusting to Disability
Alexandra M. Kriofske Mainella & Susan Miller Smedema

Mainstream Topics

Chapter 8 - Women with Disabilities: Maintaining Womanhood Amidst Social Challenges
Angela Kuemmel, Caitiln P. Campbell, & Anthea Gray

Chapter 9 - Culture, Race, and Disability
Faye Z. Belgrave, Kelli W. Gary, & Khalilah R. Johnson

Chapter 10 - Personality and Disability: A Scholarly Tapestry from Disparate Threads
Timothy R. Elliott, Lauren L. Barron, Kaitlyn Stein, Erika Wright & Leslie Lowry

Chapter 11 - Social Support, Chronic Illness, and Disability
Julie Chronister

Chapter 12 - Aging and Age-Related Disability
Bruce Rybarczyk & Amy M. Garroway

Emerging Issues

Chapter 13 - Disability in the Workplace
Shannon Cheng, Saaid A. Mendoza, Linnea Ng, Christy Nittrouer, & Mikki Hebl

Chapter 14- Implicit Attitudes and Behavior toward People with Disabilities
John F. Dovidio, Ava T. Casados, & Gina Roussos

Chapter 15 - An Exploration of Disability Self-Categorization, Identity, and Pride
Kathleen Bogart & Michelle R. Nario-Redmond

Chapter 16 - Family, Parenting, and Disability
Erin E. Andrews

Chapter 17 - Disability and Positive Psychology
Anne Arewasikporn, Ann M. Roepke, & Dawn M. Ehde

Chapter 18 - A Social Psychology of Self-Determination and Disability
Michael L. Wehmeyer

Chapter 19 - Resilience and Disability: Intra-personal, Interpersonal, and Social Environment Factors
Alexandra L. Terrill, Justin J. MacKenzie, Jackie Einerson, & Maija Reblin

Issues of Injustice, Advocacy, and Social Policy

Chapter 20 - Perceived Injustice and Disability
Zina Trost, John A. Sturgeon, Casey Azuero, Kimberley Monden, & Whitney Scott

Chapter 21 - Disability Advocacy for a New eEa: Leveraging Social Psychology and a Sociopolitical Approach to Change
Thomas P. Dirth & Michelle R. Nario-Redmond

Chapter 22 - Social Policy and Disability: Implications for Rehabilitation Psychology Practice, Research and Education
Matthew C. Saleh, Susanne M. Bruyère, & Thomas P. Golden

References

Author and Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Elliot J Roth, MD (Shirley Ryan AbilityLab)
Description: This is a well-written, well-organized book on the intersection of social psychology and rehabilitation psychology. It presents key theoretical background and big picture issues with specific applications to assist readers in understanding the experience of people with disabilities.
Purpose: The purpose is to improve the understanding of disability using psychological science to support the planning of constructive interventions. This is an important, worthwhile objective and surprisingly rare in the medical, psychological, and rehabilitation literature. The author and contributors exceed their goal of achieving this objective.
Audience: This book may be used by practicing psychologists and other rehabilitation clinicians, including physicians. It is also an excellent resource for scientists conducting research in rehabilitation, psychology, disability studies, or other related fields. The writing is clear enough to be used by trainees in various disciplines with various backgrounds.
Features: The writing is thoughtful and well done, and the book is well organized into four highly accessible sections that cohere well and flow smoothly. These sections are: "established areas" (including topics such as stigma and prejudice), "mainstream topics" (such as personality and social supports), "emerging issues" (such as work and family), and "issues of injustice, advocacy, and social policy." This last section is a novel and relevant topic, with some highly thought-provoking discussions. Of note, although each chapter is written by different authors, the writing style and flow are strikingly similar across chapters, suggesting strong editing. References are excellent, and the index is extensive. Figures and tables are sadly minimal in number, but the quality of existing figures and tables is very good. Another noteworthy feature is that each chapter that introduces a relatively new topic opens immediately with a definition of that concept; good examples are "social support," "resilience," and "self-determination," for which clear, concise, and useful definitions and descriptions are provided. Stand-out chapters include the opening chapter and the chapters on social support and resilience, but each of the chapters present excellent information in an easy-to follow format.
Assessment: This book is unique and offers thorough, well-composed descriptions of the key concepts that comprise the analysis of social psychology of people with disabilities.

Doody's Review Service

"Dunn has turned out an excellent collection of 21 contributions by some 50 leading researchers, all examining the nexus between two related disciplines: rehabilitation psychology and social psychology...The resources and references contributors cite are indicative of the high caliber of literature reviews conducted in support of each chapter. This primer highlights the diverse experiences of individuals with disabilities, whether congenital or acquired; is expertly organized; and will be an essential reference for concerned policy makers." — D.J. Winchester, Columbia University, CHOICE

"Dunn and a team of luminaries here share advances at the intersection of social and rehabilitation psychology. The authors do not rest with a discussion of theory. They outline how developments can be applied to improve care and policy" — Gitendra Uswatte, PhD, Past-President, Division of Rehabilitation Psychology, American Psychological Association

"Dana S. Dunn and his contributors provide essential reading for scholars, students and practitioners on the experience of disability and rehabilitation. They build on pioneering works by developing theoretical insights and evidence-based practice guidance that informs practice and social policy" — Allen W. Heinemann, PhD, ABPP, Professor, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University

"Contributors to Understanding the Experience of Disability help us explore our own perceptions, with the goal of empowering disabled persons. Reconceptualizing the experience of disability through the lens of social psychology provides the reader with the opportunity to rethink their assumptions about living with disability. Mitigating biases is the work of all clinicians, researchers, scholars, and advocates. Dunn and colleagues provide much needed guidance." — Lisa A. Brenner, PhD, Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Psychiatry, and Neurology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus

From the Publisher