Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)

The main aim of this study is to generate empirical data to show any common phenomena in the protective factors of youths with disabilities and if stigmatizing experiences influences subsequent interactions with protective factors. Protective factors are elements that are known through years of rese...

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Main Author:	Nur Aishah Hanum Azizi
Format:	thesis
Language:	eng
Published:	2011
Subjects:	HV Social pathology Social and public welfare
Online Access:	https://ir.upsi.edu.my/detailsg.php?det=353
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spelling	oai:ir.upsi.edu.my:3532020-02-27 Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR) 2011 Nur Aishah Hanum Azizi HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare The main aim of this study is to generate empirical data to show any common phenomena in the protective factors of youths with disabilities and if stigmatizing experiences influences subsequent interactions with protective factors. Protective factors are elements that are known through years of research to be crucial for the development and maintenance of resilience. This study is a mixed method research design. Eight respondents (4 males and 4 females) were selected based on two wide categories: visible and invisible disabilities. A bilingual 5 point Likert scale resiliency questionnaire was used on all respondents to measure the strengths of their 10 protective factors. Brislin back-translation method and factor analysis on an initial sample of 46 students was used to form the Malay version and to determine construct validity and reliability. Individual resiliency profiles were generated from this instrument which allowed for the scrutiny for common patterns while interviews guided by Strauss and Corbins grounded theory method were carried out to validate the resiliency scores and investigate respondents stigmatizing experiences. Triangulation of both qualitative and quantitative data resulted in the identification of several common phenomena. Findings on the protective factors, mainly self-control, empowerment and community cohesiveness are areas of challenge while school and learning are areas of strengths. The visibility of the disability was also found to have an influence on respondents engagement with their protective factors, named by the researcher as the I-E gap. None of the respondents expressed joy or gratitude that they have been stigmatized. All expressed negative emotional responses to stigma with shame and sadness at the top of the list. Other emotions felt include anger, fear and social anxiety. Overt behavioural responses to stigma was found to function as coping strategies by the respondents with includes avoidance, getting adult help, fighting back (by themselves), try to erase stigma, denial, self-isolation, ignore, reasoning the stigmatizers view, positive self-talk and diary writing. Findings also show that if perceived as having no more support from external sources, the disabled is capable of taking their own life. The findings in this study strongly imply that parents, caregivers, educational and medical professionals must be aware of the influence of stigma and how it negatively influence subsequent interactions with protective factors to enable them to know how to assist and guide youths with disabilities foster and maintain a positive and resilient mindset. Other findings also imply that sexual development in youth with disabilities is a major concern for them and should be sensitively and adequately addressed if resilience inoculation is to be successful. Finally, it was found that long term caring for the disabled is a heavy responsibility and could be a source of stress that may have negative consequences on the quality of care for the disabled. All these concerns found in this study could potentially form part of a general framework for those who aim to assist in fostering and developing resilience among youth with disabilities. 2011 thesis https://ir.upsi.edu.my/detailsg.php?det=353 https://ir.upsi.edu.my/detailsg.php?det=353 text eng closedAccess Masters Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Fakulti Pembangunan Manusia N/A
institution	Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
collection	UPSI Digital Repository
language	eng
topic	HV Social pathology Social and public welfare
spellingShingle	HV Social pathology Social and public welfare Nur Aishah Hanum Azizi Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)
description	The main aim of this study is to generate empirical data to show any common phenomena in the protective factors of youths with disabilities and if stigmatizing experiences influences subsequent interactions with protective factors. Protective factors are elements that are known through years of research to be crucial for the development and maintenance of resilience. This study is a mixed method research design. Eight respondents (4 males and 4 females) were selected based on two wide categories: visible and invisible disabilities. A bilingual 5 point Likert scale resiliency questionnaire was used on all respondents to measure the strengths of their 10 protective factors. Brislin back-translation method and factor analysis on an initial sample of 46 students was used to form the Malay version and to determine construct validity and reliability. Individual resiliency profiles were generated from this instrument which allowed for the scrutiny for common patterns while interviews guided by Strauss and Corbins grounded theory method were carried out to validate the resiliency scores and investigate respondents stigmatizing experiences. Triangulation of both qualitative and quantitative data resulted in the identification of several common phenomena. Findings on the protective factors, mainly self-control, empowerment and community cohesiveness are areas of challenge while school and learning are areas of strengths. The visibility of the disability was also found to have an influence on respondents engagement with their protective factors, named by the researcher as the I-E gap. None of the respondents expressed joy or gratitude that they have been stigmatized. All expressed negative emotional responses to stigma with shame and sadness at the top of the list. Other emotions felt include anger, fear and social anxiety. Overt behavioural responses to stigma was found to function as coping strategies by the respondents with includes avoidance, getting adult help, fighting back (by themselves), try to erase stigma, denial, self-isolation, ignore, reasoning the stigmatizers view, positive self-talk and diary writing. Findings also show that if perceived as having no more support from external sources, the disabled is capable of taking their own life. The findings in this study strongly imply that parents, caregivers, educational and medical professionals must be aware of the influence of stigma and how it negatively influence subsequent interactions with protective factors to enable them to know how to assist and guide youths with disabilities foster and maintain a positive and resilient mindset. Other findings also imply that sexual development in youth with disabilities is a major concern for them and should be sensitively and adequately addressed if resilience inoculation is to be successful. Finally, it was found that long term caring for the disabled is a heavy responsibility and could be a source of stress that may have negative consequences on the quality of care for the disabled. All these concerns found in this study could potentially form part of a general framework for those who aim to assist in fostering and developing resilience among youth with disabilities.
format	thesis
qualification_name
qualification_level	Master's degree
author	Nur Aishah Hanum Azizi
author_facet	Nur Aishah Hanum Azizi
author_sort	Nur Aishah Hanum Azizi
title	Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)
title_short	Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)
title_full	Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)
title_fullStr	Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)
title_full_unstemmed	Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)
title_sort	stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (ir)
granting_institution	Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris
granting_department	Fakulti Pembangunan Manusia
publishDate	2011
url	https://ir.upsi.edu.my/detailsg.php?det=353
_version_	1747832878417313792

Stigma and protective factors: a study of resilience among youth with disabilities (IR)

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