This thesis is a qualitative interview study with the purpose of describing how women living with physical disabilities view their experiences and expectations connected to sexuality. It also aims to highlight how the surrounding society treats these women regarding their sexuality. Through semi-structured interviews; six single- and one group interview, the data was collected during a two month long Minor Field Study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. An interpreter, with a degree in Kiswahili/English translation at the University of Dar es Salaam was translating the interviews from Kiswahili to English. The results of this study show that the women living with physical disabilities view themselves as capable and strong sexual beings even if they at the same time face many challenges. The challenges they face are both on an individual and a structural level. These challenges are often connected to the men they have long or short relationships with and are closely linked to both how the men and the society view physical disability and the female sex. This thesis shows that when it comes to sexuality the women all hope for a radical change towards a society that can meet their needs better and the women’s stories clearly highlight the importance of seeing the society itself as the disabling mechanism instead of seeing themselves as disabled individuals.

Aim: This thesis aims to describe perceived overall well-being, coping strategies, experiences of intimacy and sexuality, and global and dimension-specific self-esteem among children and adolescents with mobility impairment. Methods: The study included 141 children and adolescents aged 7–18 years with mobility impairment. Data was gathered by comprehensive semi-structured interviews and the self-report inventories “Children’s Coping Strategies Checklist” (CCSC) and “I Think I am”. Perceived overall well-being was measured by the nine-grade visual “Snoopy scale”. Motor function and pain were measured by the BL motor assessment, and independence or dependence by Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living. Results: The majority reported a favourable level of perceived overall well-being and positive global and dimension-specific self-esteem. Lower global self-esteem was significantly related to: greater age, being a first-generation immigrant, having an acquired disease or injury and experience of pain, while lower level of perceived overall well-being was significantly related to all of these in addition to not living with both parents. Generally, children and adolescents identified themselves as sexual beings and most expressed future aspirations as living together with partner having children. However, many had limited or no experience of partner-related intimacy and sexual activities, and socio-demographic and disability characteristics had a marginal influence. A history of sexual abuse was reported by 7% in the age cohort 13–18 years. A four-dimensional model of coping strategies including “active coping”, “distraction”, “avoidance” and “support seeking” strategies provided an adequate fit to the CCSC data. Three of the four strategies, all except “avoidance”, were significantly related to several demographic and disability features. Well-being was not significantly related to coping strategies, although the higher the trust in the strategies, the higher the estimation of well-being. Conclusion: The understanding of vulnerability factors as well as identification of coping strategies among children and adolescents with mobility impairment is essential for providing proper care, treatment and support during childhood and adolescence.

This thesis deals with the career choices of young adults (ages 18 through 40) with mobility impairments and the experiences they had throughout their career-selection process. The purpose of the study was: To find the inhibitory and furthering factors of the career choices of people with mobility impairments from their own perspective, with a special focus on how various factors affected the process over time. The method for collecting the results of this study was biographical interviews. The main theories of the study were Sense of Coherence, Self-efficacy, Learned Helplessness, Social Role Valorization and The Four Rooms of Change. The results show that mobility impairment affects career choices and that the effect is more often inhibitory than it is furthering. Structural factors, such as how the respondents are treated by other people, as well as rules and material barriers (stairs, mal-functioning elevators, etc.) are found to be more limiting than the body itself. Being over-protected is a main inhibitory factor which can contribute strongly to low self-efficacy and drainage of self-image for the respondents.  The goal of the respondents is to obtain independence and a job based on their own terms, and not a social care career. This goal was found to form a vital resistance resource versus adversity and obstacles. The respondents consider themselves to be overprotected by society (by parents, teachers, career counsellors, employment officers, etc.) in relation to their career choices, and they would like not to be. / <p>Forskningsfinansiärer: Torsten Söderbergs Stiftelse och Ragnar Söderbergs Stiftelse</p>

The world population is increasing while the average age rises steadily. With this, the percentage with any kind of physical impairment is equally increasing (WHO, 2011). Today, a large part of our built environment is planned for people without disabilities. The inaccessible environment prevents people with disabilities to live independently and participate in society. This divides the population into two: the ones with a disability and the ones without one. The thesis is focused on accessibility for persons with various physical impairments in dwellings. Building legislation in Italy is limited to Milano and in Sweden the main focus has been Stockholm because of the similar population and accommodation. This master thesis aims at defining how two different countries, both part of the European Union, works with accessibility for disabled. To define and analyze the work at different political levels, laws and guidelines that is used to regulate accessibility for buildings have been investigated and to describe and analyze differences and similarities a comparative method has been used. A literature study and case study have been applied to answer the research questions, as well as for further understanding and comprehension. Both Sweden and Italy has ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with disabilities, but the study has shown that there is work left before the buildings are fully accessible for all. Sweden has a clear legal framework and standards regarding accessibility in buildings, but yet many newly built dwellings do not meet the requirements or the process is ineffective concerning accessibility. Italy has not come as far as Sweden and their current building legislation is very strict, which causes problems for architects and the responsible for control of plans. Control of how well new built apartment houses function is poor and both countries have work to be done in the field; especially In Milano, Italy. When it comes to social support Italy is behind Sweden in available and free social support for disabled. In Italy it is depending on the family to help while in Sweden society take more responsibility. So the thesis shows that the countries have differences despite the same legal framework from the UN and the EU. They can learn from each other and together build a more accessible environment.

In tourism studies, people with a disability are often portrayed as rather passive. However, there is more to their story. There are many tourists travelling with a physical impairment and they have found ways to do so. The purpose of this study is to explore travelling with a mobility impairment, and what this means for agency and identity. More specifically the study focuses on three research questions.   What do tourists with a mobility impairment find important when travelling? What are the travel experiences of tourists with a mobility impairment? How does travelling relate to agency and identity for tourists with a mobility impairment?   A qualitative study method has been used for answering the research questions, and twelve semi-structured interviews have been conducted. The study found that travelling can be seen as the background in which agency plays out, and provides opportunities for the creation of new identity narratives. Tourists find themselves in situations they have never been in before, and come across new challenges. Moreover, people with a mobility impairment pointed out many different identities. It depends on the context whether the individual would identify with their impairment and to what extent.

A previously recognized problem with housing adaptations and retrofits is that they tend to compromise the character and architectural qualities of houses. Previous studies show that stigmatization of disabled people in the housing market can be avoided if housing adaptations are planned at an early stage in terms of the aesthetic aspects. Visualizations are often implemented at the design stage and can thus contribute to reducing stigma and increasing inclusion. The work is in collaboration with the small house manufacturer Eksjöhus AB. Eksjöhus designs modern houses with people's needs in mind to create accessible and sustainable environments. If the function and design of the house does not meet the individual's needs, it can be remedied with various housing adaptations, if not, there is a risk that the person cannot remain in the house in the long term. The goal of the study is to create a visualization that is presented at the request of housing adaptation for a newly produced single-family house. In this way, the possibility of designing newly produced housing-adapted houses can be expanded and improve the physical home environment for a wider range of people. The study aims to map the need for the visualization for involved parties and analyze the cooperation between parties in the field of housing adaptation of single-family houses and account for economic consequences.  The study begins with a pre-study to obtain a broader understanding of the areas of visualization, settlement patterns, accessibility, and housing adaptation. Case study as a qualitative research method is a central approach and the data collection technique applied is semi-structured interviews. The authors select and interview respondents from the professional groups of architects, occupational therapists, and people from disability rights associations. At the same time, visualizations are developed for a catalogued small house from Eksjöhus, Hagavik. Accessibility in the dwelling can be facilitated by minimizing level differences and designing floor plans with linear routes. It is considered beneficial to design dwellings with all types of rooms on the ground floor to increase the possibility of remaining in the dwelling.  According to the study's respondents, a common misconception in society is that it is more expensive to build accessible than to build inaccessible. Studies show that there is no difference. Housing adaptations carried out at a later stage have a negative impact on the architectural character of dwellings, therefore housing adaptations should be thoroughly planned and designed at an early stage to reduce the stigmatization of people with disabilities. Minimum requirements are too widely used as targets to result in accessible sustainable housing. There is a need for better communication between stakeholders, a common language, to increase understanding of each other. / Ett tidigare känt problem med bostadsanpassningar och efterkonstruktioner är att de tenderar att äventyra bostäders karaktär och arkitektoniska kvaliteter. Tidigare studier visar att stigmatisering av funktionsnedsatta personer på bostadsmarknaden kan undvikas om bostadsanpassningar planeras i ett tidigt skede vad gäller de estetiska aspekterna. Visualiseringar implementeras ofta i projekteringsstadiet och kan därmed bidra till minskad stigmatisering och ökad inkludering. Arbetet görs i samarbete med småhustillverkaren Eksjöhus AB. Eksjöhus utformar moderna bostäder med personers behov i omtanke för att skapa tillgängliga och hållbara hemmiljöer. Om bostadens funktion och utformning inte möter individens behov åtgärdas det med olika bostadsanpassningar, om inte finns det risk för att personen på sikt inte kan bo kvar i bostaden. Målet med studien är att skapa en visualisering som framförs vid önskan av bostadsanpassning för ett nyproducerat småhus. På så sätt kan möjligheten att utforma nyproducerade bostadsanpassade småhus vidgas och förbättraden fysiska hemmiljön för fler. Studien syftar till att kartlägga behovet av visualiseringen för inblandade parter och analysera samarbetet mellan parter inom bostadsanpassning av småhus samt redogöra för ekonomiska följder.  Studien inleds med en förstudie för att erhålla bredare förståelse inom områdena visualisering, bosättningsmönster, tillgänglighet och bostadsanpassning. Fallstudie som kvalitativ forskningsmetod är ett centralt angreppssätt och datainsamlingstekniken som appliceras är semistrukturerade intervjuer. Författarna utser och intervjuar respondenter från yrkesgrupperna arkitekter, arbetsterapeuter och personer från funktionsrättsförbund med nedsatt rörelseförmåga. Samtidigt utvecklas visualiseringar för ett katalogiserat småhus från Eksjöhus, Hagavik.  Framkomligheten i bostaden underlättas genom att minimera nivåskillnader och utforma planlösningar med linjära färdsträckor. Det anses vara fördelaktigt att utforma bostäder med samtliga typer av rum på entréplan för att öka möjligheten att bo kvar i bostaden.  Enligt studiens respondenter är en vanligt förekommande missuppfattning i samhället att det är dyrare att bygga tillgängligt i jämförelse med att bygga otillgängligt. Det finns studier som visar att det inte är någon skillnad. Bostadsanpassningar som utförs i ett senare skede påverkar bostäders arkitektoniska karaktär på ett negativt sätt, därför bör bostadsanpassningar planeras och utformas grundligt i ett tidigt skede för att reducera stigmatiseringen av funktionsnedsatta personer. Minimikraven används som målsättning i allt för stor utsträckning för att resultera i tillgängligt hållbara bostäder. Förbättrad kommunikation mellan aktörer krävs, ett gemensamt språk, för att öka förståelsen för varandra.

Resor har länge varit en del av människors liv och kan bidra till både välmående ochökad livskvalitet. Dock har inte alla samma förutsättningar när det kommer till attresa. Det gäller bland annat personer med funktionsnedsättningar. Trots att 15procent av världens befolkning tros leva med en funktionsnedsättning finns idagbegränsade möjligheter för dem att ta del av resor på lika villkor som andra. Detverkar gälla även inom Sverige. Resa utan hinder är med det sagt en studie inomforskningsområdet tillgänglig turism som avser att undersöka tillgängligheten inomden svenska besöksnäringen. I syfte att uppmärksamma eventuellaförbättringsområden utgår studien från hur personer med någon form avrörelsenedsättning uppfattar sina möjligheter att resa inom Sverige. Dessauppfattningar kartläggs med en enkätundersökning och används sedan som grund föratt presentera möjliga utvecklingsmöjligheter för den svenska besöksnäringen.Resultatet visar att personer med rörelsenedsättningar på grund av bristandetillgänglighet inte kan ta del av resor till den grad de önskar inom Sverige. Detframkommer att begränsningarna beror på bristfälligheter inom både besöksnäringenoch samhället i stort. Vidare uppmärksammas brister gällande den fysiska miljön,tillgång till tillförlitlig information samt negativa attityder. Med det som grundföreslås att den svenska besöksnäringen såväl som andra aktörer i samhället i enhögre grad bör prioritera tillgänglighet, förmedla mer tillförlitlig information,samarbeta, be om hjälp från sakkunniga, säkerhetsställa kompetensen hosmedarbetarna och göra rätt från början. / Due to accessibility barriers, people with disabilities do not have the sameopportunities to participate in tourism activities as others. This is a problem that canbe seen worldwide, with Sweden not being an exception. In this study, a survey hasbeen used to collect comprehensive data from people with mobility impairments inorder to identify possible improvements for the tourism industry in Sweden. Theresult shows that the barriers are mainly associated with the physical environment,access to information and attitudes. This in turns has contributed to suggestedimplications for both actors in the tourism industry and the society. The implicationsconcern prioritizing accessibility improvements, communicating reliableinformation, increasing co-operations, receiving inputs from experts, increasingcompetence among personnel and making right decisions from the start.

This bachelor thesis examines and compares the differences between the functional requirements according to accessibility that exist in the construction and design for a single-family dwelling in Sweden, compared to the US state of Minnesota. During the construction of a single-family dwelling there is a building legislation that both Sweden and Minnesota need to consider and follow. Accessibility is one of the areas that is affected by the building legislation. The building legislations for Sweden and Minnesota differ as Minnesota as a state does not have any requirements for accessibility adaptation for single-family dwellings. Sweden on the other hand requires that all new buildings, extensions, and reconstructions meet accessibility requirements and standards.   The building legislations for Sweden and Minnesota and their differences are presented in this bachelor thesis by depicting the countries view on accessibility for a single-family dwelling, and how this subject is reflected in the legislation that Sweden and Minnesota have.   A comparison between two floor plans has been done, where one floor plan is from a Swedish house manufacturer and the other one from a house manufacturer in Minnesota. There is also an investigation into how accessibility is considered in floor plans, and how they relate to the relevant building legislation. The floor plans have been weighed against each other, and analyzed whether they would be approved based on requirements and conditions in each country. The differences in the building legislation showed that the Swedish floor plan would be approved in Minnesota, while the floor plan designed for individuals without disabilities in Minnesota, on the other hand, would not be approved in Sweden.   The facts that have been obtained were considered in the design of an alternative floor plan in the Revit software. A single-family dwelling has been developed based on both Sweden´s and Minnesota´s building legislation according to accessibility. A result of a single-family dwelling with approved accessibility in both countries is presented in this thesis.

The aim of the research was to determine the influence of adapted sport on the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment. An empirical investigation was carried out to investigate the relationship between certain variables, such as social relationships and affective constructs, and the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment as information emerged from the literature study. A sample of 140 adolescents with a mobility impairment was drawn using purposive sampling. An instrument to measure the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment was compiled. The data, which were obtained from the implementation of the instrument, were analysed using qualitative content analysis techniques. The major findings of the study revealed that there was no significant difference in the identity of adolescents with a mobility impairment who participated in sport, compared with the identity of adolescents with a mobility impairment who did not participate in sport. There was however, a significant positive correlation between social relationships with friends and parents, and the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment. There was also a positive correlation between affective variables and the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment. The two positive affective constructs with the highest correlation were trustfulness and gregariousness. The negative construct with the highest correlation was depression. Based on the findings, conclusions were drawn and recommendations were made. The relationship of adolescents with their friends and parents, together with the health of adolescents, explained the largest proportion of the variance in the identity formation of adolescents with a mobility impairment, namely 42%. The remaining 58% of the variance in the identity formation has not been significantly explained as yet. The implications for parents and educators are clearly explained. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed.