Differences in participation based on self-esteem in power and manual wheelchair users on a university campus: a pilot study

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the relationship of self-esteem and wheelchair type with participation of young adult manual and power wheelchair users with diverse physical disabilities. Design: Cross-sectional survey study. Setting: Large University Campus. Participants: A convenience sample of college students (N = 39) with self-reported physical disabilities who are full time wheelchair users (>40 per week) and are two or more years post illness or injury. Interventions: Not applicable. Main outcome measures: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used to measure self-esteem, and the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique was used to measure participation. Results: Self-esteem correlated highly with cognitive independence (CI) (r = 0.58), mobility (r = 0.67) and social integration (SI) (r = 0.52). Use of manual wheelchair was significantly related to higher levels of CI and mobility while longer use of any wheelchair (power or manual) was significantly associated with higher levels of mobility and SI. In addition higher self-esteem independently predicted a significant proportion of the variance in CI, mobility and SI, while type of wheelchair predicted a significant proportion of the variance in CI (p < 0.005). Conclusions: High self-esteem was found to be the strongest predictor of participation in a population of young adults with mobility limitations. Better understanding of the factors influencing participation may help to facilitate new interventions to minimize the disparities between persons with disabilities and their able bodied peers.

Implication for Rehabilitation

• A total of 46.8% of wheelchair users report the desire for increased community participant but face significant barriers.

• The type of wheelchair has been identified as having a large impact on participation.

• This study found self-esteem to be the strongest predictor of participation, which is notable because self-esteem is a characteristic that is potentially modifiable with treatment.

Keywords:

• Community participation
• disability
• self-esteem
• wheelchairs

Declaration of interest

The study was performed through the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL. This study was supported by departmental funds from the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL.

No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit on the authors or on any organization with which the authors are associated.