Stigma-Handling Strategies in Everyday Life among Women aged 20 to 30 with Transversal Upper Limb Reduction Deficiency

Abstract

This grounded theory study shows an adaptation of stigma-handling strategies to situations in everyday life by women aged 20 to 30 with dysmelia, i.e. transversal upper limb reduction deficiency (TULRD). Strategies are comprehensive patterns of action aimed at controlling information about one's status as deviating from an ad hoc normality. Strategies consist of: (1) attitude (proofing/being); (2) tactic (concealing/revealing); (3) exposure (voluntary/imposed); and (4) boost (amplifying/altering). A proofing or being attitude constitutes a contextual adaptation understood in terms of a concealing or revealing tactic, aiming at delaying or promoting exposure to contextual attitudes and possible prejudices. If exposure is delayed, a person with dysmelia blends in. Exposure may be voluntary or imposed. After exposure, the relative importance of TULRD in the specific context may decrease, thus a boost of an amplification or altering of the attitude, i.e. boost is the interactional outcome enforcing the choice of strategy in another context.

Keywords:

• Body-image
• congenital limb deficiency
• dysmelia
• gender
• transversal upper limb reduction deficiency

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Vårdal Institute, Lund University. The authors would like to thank everyone who participated in this study.