This thesis explores differences in the ways that intellectually disabled people are perceived, interpreted and related to within a Western context. Through a comparison of familial and institutionalised forms of relatedness, it examines the interrelation between these differences and the consequences that they have for either denying or acknowledging severely intellectually disabled people's capacities for sociality. Drawing on Carrithers' (1992) concept of sociality and mutuality, and Wittgenstein's (1953) notion of language games, the thesis analyses the means by which a meaningful and shared existence with intellectually disabled people can be negotiated and developed. Although limited and restricted in their capacities for symbolic expression, such people do have modalities of symbolic life upon which sociality can be built. By analysing the symbolic practices utilised by my three profoundly intellectually disabled siblings, I seek to show how relationships across the difference of intellectual disability are able to be symbolically mediated and negotiated. I argue that it is necessary to engage in relations of mutual interdependence in order to even recognise and perceive these practices as purposeful and meaningful. The mutuality that ensues requires a level of intimacy, empathy and commitment that is not easily sustainable, but which is necessary for the maintenance of intellectually disabled people's existence as social beings. These intimate relations are contrasted with clinical and institutional forms of relatedness, both of which have been informed and shaped by a symbolic scheme of reason and normality. This symbolic scheme associates a capacity for reason with normal humanness, where reason is identified as particular abstract, linguistic, mental practices that are then deemed necessary for sociality. These are what intelligence tests measure, and it is through such assessments that intellectually disabled people are rendered asocial. The pathologising of intellectual disability as an abnormal embodiment, and the clinical tendency to search only for deficits in functioning and ability, has led to a denial or ignorance of intellectually disabled people's abilities to be the independent sustainers and authors of mutuality and sociality. I draw on my family's medical notes, records from the institution where two of my siblings were sent to live, as well as observations made during twelve months of fieldwork with a group of intellectually disabled people attending an activities centre, and either living in community group homes or with their families, to elucidate the ways in which such interpretations of intellectual disability become instituted into daily practice. The instituting of training and management practices within day centres, group homes and institutions for the intellectually disabled are a consequence of the perception that intellectually disabled people have no capacity for sociality as they are. So too are the legal and structural obligations that inform the forms of relatedness that staff have with the intellectually disabled people with whom they work. These relations are based on separation and disengagement rather than mutuality and intimacy. The aim in these institutionalised environments is to instil in such people a range of normative social, domestic and vocational skills as though it is upon these that their capacity as social beings are dependent. As a result, the symbolic practices and dispositional behaviours through which intellectually disabled people express themselves are not recognised as such, nor are they engaged with. This undermines intellectually disabled people's capacity to be joint contributors to social life in a way which incorporates their differences rather than trying to transform them.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2006. / Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center; full text release delayed at author's request until 2009 May 31

<p>From the Front Line to the Living Room: The Transition of Female Veterans Back Into Civilian Life. Bretia Arrington Gordon, 2018: Applied Dissertation, Nova Southeastern University, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. Keywords: veterans, military personnel, military service, armed forces The problem addressed in this study was female veterans faced unique challenges during military service and even more difficult experiences when transitioning into civilian life. Women long served in the military and reported similar as well as different experiences than men, especially in relation to Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). For example, female veterans reported a higher percentage of sexual harassment and gender discrimination than did male veterans. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health issues were also reported differently for female veterans than males. Women were found to be more likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness after returning from deployment. This research was conducted using semi-structured interviews. The questions were broad in scope due to the sensitive nature of the problems faced by the participants. Questions focused upon recurring themes, such as PTSD, military sexual trauma, substance abuse, and impact on domestic relationships. The participants? experiences were analyzed for patterns and trends, and the information was used to encourage future research efforts in the improvement of services for female veterans. The purpose of this research was to collect information from OEF-OIF female veterans who experienced firsthand the challenges of being active duty and a civilian. The study also explored different aspects of issues not immediately identified or researched in depth in relation to this population. This research would help to inform change within the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) system and other organizations supporting OEF-OIF female veterans and families. Findings revealed participants shared similar experiences from their time in the military and during their deployment to serve in OEF and OIF. The accounts of their experiences presented themes of (a) PTSD and other mental health issues; (b) military sexual trauma; (c) discrimination based on gender, race, and rank; (d) different impacts of deployment; and (e) experiences with the VA health-care system. Findings provided a new understanding of the literature indicating the complex realm of what it is like for female veterans to (a) serve in combat, (b) transition back into their lives after deployment, (c) navigate the VA system, and (d) maintain their dignity and integrity while being discriminated against, and accepting and learning to live with PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Findings supported past literature, suggesting female veterans were more likely to need long-term services to assist them as they returned from combat and transition back into civilian life. They needed specific female-centered assistance from the VA to treat them for issues related to physical and mental health, counseling and quality medical services, and housing and employment assistance to deter potential homelessness. Findings also supported the call for the Department of Defense, U.S. Military, and the VA system to acknowledge the issues of discrimination based on rank, race, and gender and to hold those accountable who used it as a means to control and limit the potential of female members of the military.

<p> In recent years, the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder has increased. Autism is a cognitive impairment that affects the way people socialize and behave. Currently, treatments and services exist mostly for children, even though it is a lifelong disorder and those with it are living longer. Like autism, Alzheimer&rsquo;s affects a person&rsquo;s cognitive abilities, although its onset occurs much later in life. With the increased average lifespan due to technological advances, the number of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer&rsquo;s is expected to grow exponentially. There are many parallels between the two conditions, and research suggests that Autism may act as a buffer against Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease. This systematic literature review aims to better describe the link between autism and Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, which could further an understanding of each condition individually.</p><p>

<p>Death is inevitable for all; however, the nature of that death varies significantly across subsets of the American population with the opportunity to die well often reserved for the privileged and abled. In the last ten years, there has been increasingly more attention paid to issues surrounding serious illness and end-of-life care for adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs). However, care for this population remains fraught with complex challenges and wanting for best practices and standards. Further, research seeking to identify the complexity of issues faced in the provision of end-of-life care for this population, particularly in the United States, is scarce and often biased toward the perspective of caregivers. This multiple-case study sought to explore and describe the illness trajectory and differential end-of-life experiences of adults with IDs within the last year of life in diverse community residences operated by one provider agency in New Jersey. Retrospective data from three sources (records, staff, surrogates) was collected sequentially and triangulated via within and cross-case analyses. This study offers a meaningful contribution to the extant literature by elucidating the last year of life for adults with IDs in community residences. It offers insights into how people with co-occurring IDs and serious illness diagnoses experience their final year, month, week, and moments of life. This study integrated staff and surrogate perspectives with archival data to illustrate the differential experiences that facilitate and impede the ability of people with IDs to die well.

<p> People with disabilities face discrimination around the world. This has a negative impact on society, individuals and the economy. In Saudi Arabia, people with physical disabilities face serious challenges. This research addressed the negative perceptions and attitudes toward disability in Saudi Arabia that resulted in discrimination against people with disabilities, create challenges for them and prevented them from participating in society equally. This mixed- method study investigated the challenges that face the physically disabled in Saudi Arabia in their personal, political, economic and professional paradigms. This research used quantitative and qualitative methods, to reflect the sentiment and impressions of both the disabled and non- disabled populations in Saudi Arabia on the topic of physical disability. There were 14 participants in the interview component of this research and 403 participated in the survey. This research identified the main challenges facing people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia as inaccessible environments, judgmental society, family and self-image, health care services and enforcement of existing laws and regulations. Furthermore, the results highlighted a number of steps needed for people with disabilities to overcome the challenges in their personal and professional lives.</p><p>

<p> Palliative care is a service provided by an interdisciplinary team, helping improve the quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families. Policy focusing on palliative care in the 21^st century addresses the needs of older adults who suffer from a serious illness, including education about the benefits of palliative care. The under-utilization of palliative care partly stems from lack of knowledge about the topic. This project report was an educational module about palliative care that can be added to a gerontology course taken by a future workforce that may assist patients who could benefit from palliative care. A PowerPoint, student resource guide, and instructor&rsquo;s guide were reviewed by an expert panel, who reported that the material was easy to understand, informative, and contained helpful information. This project report helps bridge the educational gap about palliative care for students participating in CSULB&rsquo;s upper division GE gerontology course.</p><p>

Rezension zu Markus Dederich: Körper, Kultur und Behinderung. Eine Einführung in die Disability Studies. Bielefeld: transcript Verlag, 2007

This study provides an analysis of how online fandom affordances are utilized in association with technological Twitter affordances in discussing disabled representation within the Marvel fandom. Associations were found via a quantitative content analysis of 292 tweets that discuss the Marvel fandom and disability identity. When individuals consume media, the media shapes their perspectives of themselves, others, and the world around them. Objects of fandom (often media) are no exception, meaning a fictional TV show can warp viewers' perspectives. When individuals discuss controversial perspectives that stem from an object of fandom via social media a unique environment is formed. In this environment, individuals discuss perspectives that have been impacted by the object of fandom by utilizing social media affordances and fandom affordances to shape and impact the perspectives of other users on the platform. However, there is little information on how Twitter affordances and fandom affordances work together to take part in this cycle. Thus, this study investigates how perspectives, surrounding minoritized disability identity representation, that stem from Marvel fandom media, utilize both fandom and Twitter affordances. It was found Twitter affordances employ fandom affordances in creating content that impacts perspectives. Results found certain Twitter affordances (1) worked in tandem with the fandom affordance of presenting multiple minoritized identities, (2) were associated with critiquing negative Western societal principles, and (3) worked hand-in-hand with the fandom affordance of creating a connection. This study, part of a unique area of focus, demonstrates the importance of Twitter affordances in utilizing fandom affordances to create content impacting perspectives about disability identity specific to Marvel media. Discussion of theoretical and practical implications for the correct representation of minoritized identities within media conclude the study.

In The Who’s second rock opera Quadrophenia, a fictitious teenager suffers from a mental illness that gives him four distinct personalities. Its main songwriter, Pete Townshend, uses the disorder and the four personalities as a means to represent the four members of The Who through the teenage protagonist, a young mod named Jimmy. Townshend reveals Jimmy’s disposition at the conclusion of a lament written from Jimmy’s perspective in Quadrophenia’s liner notes, in a harrowing confession: “Schizophrenic? I’m bleeding quadrophenic.” In this monograph, I will examine Quadrophenia for its representations of mental illness through textual, musical, and historical perspectives and how these perspectives provide evidence toward a storyline based around the cultural concept of madness. Mental illness is an invisible illness, for the inflicted does not present noticeable symptoms to others, making it difficult to perceive and accurately diagnose. That is why within popular culture, schizophrenia is oftentimes used interchangeably with multiple personality disorder (now known as dissociative identity disorder), as is the case with Jimmy in Quadrophenia. Although these disorders are not at all similar, both are considered under the broader umbrella of madness, a term which historically was of medical and legal significance but gained political and ideological meanings in our modern society. Quadrophenia was meant as a tribute and celebration of The Who’s beginnings within the mid-60s London mod subculture. The invisible illness aspect of the storyline is worth investigating for its avoidance of treating mental illness within the medical model, in which it is considered to be a deficit of normalcy that is in need of a fix or cure. Though Jimmy struggles with his illness, it is mostly viewed as part of his adolescent character and then further used as a way of musically and textually representing The Who and the musicians’ individual characters. The Who were the epitome of music and madness; their music often spoke in terms of deviance and disobedience, while their live performances were physical and objectionably loud, sometimes concluding with the destruction of instruments. Treating mental illness, as well as physical and developmental impairments, as difference rather than deficit, is a key principle of current disability studies and its cultural model of disability. This is in opposition to the biological model in the medical field. Society has constructed madness as a binary to sanity, and thus a contrast to normalcy. As this binary is still in practice today, society as a whole continues to stigmatize mental illness and forces it to remain invisible. The Who and their embodiment of mental illness in Quadrophenia are meant not merely to arouse sympathy for Jimmy, but also to empower mental illness as a basis of character strength. The following monograph begins with an introduction to music and disability studies regarding mental illness. The next chapter offers a glimpse into the literature on The Who and Quadrophenia, including a survey of a 2013 conference dedicated exclusively to Quadrophenia. Finally, a chapter analyzes representations of mental illness in Quadrophenia within the music, society, and The Who themselves before a brief concluding chapter. / Music Performance