Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / Adults with Intellectual Disability (ID) are at an elevated risk of osteoporosis based on lower peak bone mass and medical characteristics. However, there is little data as to how the medical characteristics affect screening or at what ages people are being screened. Methods: A secondary cross-sectional data analysis of was conducted of 4777 adults witl1 Intellectual Disability to determine characteristics associated with an elevated risk for osteoporosis and receipt of bone density screening. Hypotheses were that increasing age, use of antiseizure medication, living in a 24 hour residential setting, and receiving a flu vaccine increased the likelihood of screening. Bivariate analyses were initially performed, tl1en data were stratified by gender and logistic regressions were performed. Findings: 22.2% of the sample in this study received bone density screening. Bivariate odds ratios identified each of the hypothesized variables as significantly associated with receiving screening. Additionally, many of the covariates analyzed identified significant associations with receiving screening.Data were then stratified by gender and evaluated in a logistic regression. In men, increasing age, tl1e use of antiepileptic medication (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2-2.0), and receiving the flu vaccine (adjusted OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-2.0) were associated witl1 an increased likelihood of screening, controlling for confounding. Living in a 24 hour residential setting was not significantly associated with screening (adjusted OR 1.2; 95% CI 0.91-1.6). In women, increasing age, the use of antiepileptic medication (adjusted OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.9), receiving the flu vaccine (adjusted OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1-1.8), and living in a 24 hour residential setting (adjusted OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.1 -1.8) were all significantly associated with receiving screening. A history of Down syndrome, noted to increase risk of osteoporosis, was associated with a decreased likehl1ood of screening (adjusted OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.4 7-0. 94) in women, although it was not a significant association in men. Conclusions: While most variables related to osteoporosis are associated with an increased likelihood of screening, screening rates among in adults witl1 ID were low. Additionally, men and women have differences in variables related to screening. Better education and improved awareness may increase rates. / 2999-01-01

Thesis advisor: R. Shep Melnick / This paper's main focus is on the American Disability Insurance law. It begins with an outline of the debate that led up to the passing of the original legislation. The paper then examines the law more closely and depicts the changes the law has undergone in the last 50+ years. Next, the current disability benefits process is depicted and questions are posed about inherent difficulties in the disability insurance program. The paper then examines the challenges mental disability causes for the disability insurance program, using a case study of bipolar disorder. Disability insurance programs abroad are next explored with a focus on how other countries have dealt with the problems the United States is facing in its own program. The paper concludes with an examination of the future prospects of the American Disability Insurance program; suggestions are made regarding useful changes to the law. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2007. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Political Science. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

The aim of this study is to explore disability issues in the Kuwaiti context through a participatory research project with disabled people. Six disabled people participated in this project as co-researchers, and a further eight informants (disabled and non-disabled) contributed to this research as research participants. The thesis initially provides a critical exploration of the dominant conceptualisations of disability, such as the individual and social models and also includes cultural perspectives. The individual model provides an exploration of disability at the biological level, while the social model analyses disability at the socio-economic level (Bhaskar and Danermark, 2006). Cultural perspectives of disability provide an exploration of disability at the socio-cultural level (Danermark and Gellerstedt, 2004).After this exploration, and in relation to the experiences of the co-researchers, the thesis proposes that each of these singular perspectives can only provide limited conceptual effectiveness. The study then goes on to suggest that, rather than reducing the 'problem' of disability to one limited explanation, it is more productive to take an overarching, and more complex and interactional approach to disability that combines the best aspects of individual and social models as well as cultural and societal perspectives. The findings explore a number of disability issues at different levels. The analysis of the discussions with the co-researchers and interviews with the participants of this study emphasise a number of disability issues related to both the body and society. In relation to the body, both the co-researchers and the participants highlight issues and experiences related to the role of impairment in restricting activity, while at the same time acknowledging the roles of society and culture that play a part in disablement. The findings show the complexity of the understandings of disability and challenge the individual model, the social model and cultural perspectives of disability, and show how 'impairment' and 'disability' interact in the lives of disabled people in Kuwait. The thesis argues that an appropriate model for understanding disability in Kuwait is rooted in a critical realist paradigm that views disability from multiple levels, including biological, medical, psychological, socio-cultural and socio-economic levels. The findings also explore the process of participatory research with the co- researchers. In relation to this, the findings highlight the issues of power relations, skills development and reciprocity, decision making processes, sharing the experiences, and the possibility of this research opening the door for further research and changing people's attitudes on disability.

This study investigated postsecondary disability service providers' (DSP) perceived usefulness of an example of a well-developed SOP. This example SOP was included in a 22 question survey, administered electronically to DSPs who are members of the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). The participants (n=298) were asked to rate the usefulness of the test scores, rationale for accommodation, history of use or success of accommodation, report writer's recommendations, and student input included in the example SOP for making accommodation decisions. ANOVAs were used to determine if the perceived usefulness of the parts of the Model SOP varied as a function of the DSPs' highest degree, disciplines or fields of study, training for the interpretation of disability documentation, and/or years of experience in postsecondary disability services. DSPs with less than five years of experience (M=1.85, SD = .87) found the report writer's recommendations more useful than DSPs with greater than 10 years of experience (M=2.24, SD = 1.02). DSPs with 5-10 years of experience did not differ significantly from either of the other groups. Additionally, statistical significance was approached (p = .085) suggesting that DSPs with doctorate degrees compared to DSPs with a master's degree or a bachelor's degree may find the history of use or success less useful for accommodation decisions. Overall, the average usefulness ratings for all DSP groupings for the identified parts of the SOP were in the extremely useful or very useful range. / School of Education; / School Psychology / PhD; / Dissertation;

The disability community is one of the largest minority groups vulnerable to social exclusion and marginalization, too often forced into poverty, unemployment and social isolation through dependence on the state. This is the result of systemic discrimination, and is being challenged by the social model of disability which frames disability as a political creation: it proposes that barriers, prejudice, and exclusion created by society (purposely or inadvertently) are the ultimate factors defining disability. The social model empowers people with disabilities to dismantle barriers so they have choice, flexibility, and control to gain the dignity, autonomy, equality, and solidarity associated with human rights and citizenship, and calls for research that takes an emancipatory approach and has a political commitment to confront oppression and exclusion. This interdisciplinary Masters thesis looks at the ways co-operatives can be vehicles for inclusion and empowerment for the disability community. It looks particularly at the multi-stakeholder model of co-operative, which is especially promising for the empowerment of the disability community as it brings together different member categories in an appropriate form of interdependence. My research uses case study methodology to explore how socially constructed barriers are the impairment to development in the disability community and to identify successes where informal multi-stakeholder co-operatives have been used to empower people with disabilities through analysis on four dimensions: how consumer-controlled the co-op is, use of multi-stakeholder alliances, promotion of the social model of disability, and ability to promote economic inclusion and social solidarity. The disability community needs new opportunities for empowerment and community development to overcome disadvantage and marginalization, and this thesis explores the potential of multi-stakeholder co-operatives, vis-à-vis the social model of disability, to do this. This research will help shape policies needed to foster social inclusion to empower people with disabilities and build disability solidarity through co-operative development.

Individuals with non-apparent, physical disabilities face unique social challenges from those that are encountered by the more visibly disabled. The absence of visible cues indicating physical impairment causes ambiguity in social situations, leaving the sufferer vulnerable to moral judgments and social sanctions when they are unable to embody and perform to cultural norms. This dynamic generates a closeted status that the individual must learn to navigate. Using Eve Sedgwick's "The Epistemology of the Closet," this paper deploys auto-ethnography, traditional ethnographic techniques, and literature reviews to illuminate a third space of functioning between the outwardly 'healthy' and the visibly disabled.

The disability community is one of the largest minority groups vulnerable to social exclusion and marginalization, too often forced into poverty, unemployment and social isolation through dependence on the state. This is the result of systemic discrimination, and is being challenged by the social model of disability which frames disability as a political creation: it proposes that barriers, prejudice, and exclusion created by society (purposely or inadvertently) are the ultimate factors defining disability. The social model empowers people with disabilities to dismantle barriers so they have choice, flexibility, and control to gain the dignity, autonomy, equality, and solidarity associated with human rights and citizenship, and calls for research that takes an emancipatory approach and has a political commitment to confront oppression and exclusion. This interdisciplinary Masters thesis looks at the ways co-operatives can be vehicles for inclusion and empowerment for the disability community. It looks particularly at the multi-stakeholder model of co-operative, which is especially promising for the empowerment of the disability community as it brings together different member categories in an appropriate form of interdependence. My research uses case study methodology to explore how socially constructed barriers are the impairment to development in the disability community and to identify successes where informal multi-stakeholder co-operatives have been used to empower people with disabilities through analysis on four dimensions: how consumer-controlled the co-op is, use of multi-stakeholder alliances, promotion of the social model of disability, and ability to promote economic inclusion and social solidarity. The disability community needs new opportunities for empowerment and community development to overcome disadvantage and marginalization, and this thesis explores the potential of multi-stakeholder co-operatives, vis-à-vis the social model of disability, to do this. This research will help shape policies needed to foster social inclusion to empower people with disabilities and build disability solidarity through co-operative development.

Magister Commercii (Industrial Psychology) - MCom(IPS) / Even though attitudes have been studied for many years, attitudes toward individuals with disabilities still remain an important issue, today (Geskie & Salasek, 1988; Popovich, Scherbaum, Scherbaum & Polinko, 2003). With the relationship between numerous demographic factors and attitudes toward those with disabilities being inconsistent across existing research and the absence of research conducted in the South African context this research study investigated whether variables such as gender, age, education level, exposure to a person with a disability or having a friend or family member with a disability had an effect on attitude towards disability. The population of this study constituted students from the Economic and Management Sciences (EMS) Faculty and Support Staff in a Higher Education Institution in the Western Cape. A non-probability convenience sample method was utilised of which 140 respondents completed two questionnaires. Namely, a Biographical questionnaire and the Affective Reactions Subscale of the Disability Questionnaire (Popovich et al. (2003). Statistical analyses included both descriptive and inferential statistics (the t-Test and ANOVA). According to the findings of this research study, significant relationships do not exist between variables such as gender, age, educational level, amount of contact and exposure to or having a friend or family member with disability and staff and student attitudes toward those with disabilities in a Higher Education Institution in the Western Cape. A few limitations related to the study were recognized and it is recommended that a combination of quantitative and qualitative research approaches be implored as well as other faculties and Institutions in the Western Cape be used to contribute to greater representativeness and generalisability for future research. Also, to establish organisations or institutions as employers and institutions of choice among those with disabilities, organisations and institutions are to better market disability facilities and accommodations. It is also proposed that students and staff with disabilities should be encouraged to fully participate in the design and event management of disability awareness campaigns.

In this study the impact of socio economic factors in raising a child with mental disability was discussed and explored. There is limited research done on this topic in the world and in South Africa. Studies show that there is a direct link between poverty and mental disability. There are multiple factors that have an influence on a family that have a child that suffers from mental disability. These factors include stress and unresolved emotions regarding the child that suffers from mental disability, financial burdens, dealing with the child’s problematic behaviour and the social stigma associated with disabilities. It was found that there is little support available for families that have to deal with all these factors. Different aspects of mental disability have been discussed in this study in order to create a better understanding of mentally disability and to provide all the necessary information surrounding mental disability. Aspects that were discussed are: a) What is mental disability, b) Levels of mental disability, c) The link between poverty and mental disability, d) Socio-economic and psychosocial factors that have an impact on the family, e) Causes of mental disability, f) Role of the social worker, and g) Services provided to families. These aspects have been discussed through literature and in the empirical study. Findings from this study show that families that have a child with mental disability also have to contend with a lot of socio-economic factors that play a role in the family. Having a child with a mental disability in the house has an influence on all members of the family. Children with a mental disability have serious emotional and behavioural problems. Parents of mentally challenged children commonly experience different emotions. Raising a child with a mental disability may be more expensive than raising a typical child. It was thus concluded that there is a need to explore the impact of socio-economic factors in raising a child with a mental disability. / Dissertation (MSW)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Social Work and Criminology / MSW / Unrestricted

Given its vast population, India has one of the highest absolute numbers of people with intellectual disability (PwIDs) in the world. Studies have placed the prevalence as high as 3.1% of children aged between 2 to 5 years and 5.2% of children aged between 6 to 9 years. India recently passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (RPwD Act), to align itself with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This thesis applied the complementary methods of the review of academic and grey literature, document analysis of the RPwD Act, and in-depth informant interviews to become the first full study on the extent to which the RPwD Act meets the needs of PwIDs. Drawing on the biopsychosocial model of disability and intersectional theory, the findings show that the RPwD Act only partially meets the needs of PwIDs. The RPwD Act does incorporate progressive elements such as affirmative action provisions in the labour market, measures to prevent unethical research on PwIDs, and steps toward inclusive education. However, the Act stipulates a disability certification process that remains mired in the medical model of disability and is mostly inaccessible in rural areas. It also continues the system of legal guardianship dating to the colonial era which deprives many PwIDs of legal capacity and leaves some of them confined to long-term institutions with highly inadequate levels of care. Other problems in the Act include inadequate provisions to provide privacy, reproductive rights and education, and protection from discrimination.