Perceived social support as a moderator between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among people with physical disabilities in Israel

Abstract

Purpose: Perceived social support has gained importance as a significant preventive factor of depressive symptoms and as helpful for rebuilding feelings of self-worth and subjective well-being among people with physical disabilities. The current study examined whether perceived social support moderates the association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among people with physical disabilities in Israel.

Materials and methods: Data were collected by means of structured questionnaires among a convenience sample of 433 people with physical disabilities in Israel and hierarchical multiple regression was performed.

Results and conclusions: The findings reveal that perceived social support has a moderating role in the association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among people with physical disabilities, such that those with low and moderate levels of perceived social support showed a negative association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being, while those with high levels of perceived social support showed no association between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being. Findings are discussed in light of the social model of disability, and practical implications are suggested.

Implications for Rehabilitation

• A negative association was found between perceived discrimination and subjective well-being among people with physical disabilities with low and moderate levels of perceived social support.

• Professionals working with people with physical disabilities must acknowledge the importance of social support for people with physical disabilities and for their families.

• Professionals working with people with physical disabilities should take a proactive approach to locating disabled people who do not receive or do not have adequate social support and offer them assistance.

• Professionals working with people with physical disabilities should engage in wide social activities aimed at providing resources and opportunities to service beneficiaries.

• Society bears the collective responsibility to act in order to reduce the social problem of discrimination against people with disabilities, as well as to raise public awareness of this issue.

Keywords:

• Perceived social support
• perceived discrimination
• subjective well-being
• people with physical disabilities
• Israel

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.