The number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions is increasing as greater access and support services are provided on campus. Increasing demand requires the need to offer support to such students not only in terms of accommodations, but also with adjusting to their disability as well as increasing their quality of life (QOL). Positive psychology is gaining credibility and being utilized under the premise that a person's strengths are of equal, if not of more importance than focusing on a person's weaknesses or illness. Research demonstrates the many benefits of positive psychology, including being optimistic, not only for the general population, but also for persons with chronic illnesses and disabilities (CID). Studies are sparing in terms of incorporating optimism in relation to adaptation to disability and quality of life, particularly with the college student population. This research used a convenience sample of 229 college students with disabilities attending postsecondary institutions in the southeast in order to address the following two research questions: (1) What is the relationship between optimism, adaptation to disability, and quality of life among college students with disabilities? and (2) Are there any differences in optimism, adaptation to disability, and quality of life between college students with low perceived severity of disability and college students with high perceived severity of disability? The following null hypotheses are associated with the first research question: (a) there is not a significant correlation between adaptation to disability and quality of life and (b) there is not a significant moderating effect of optimism on the relationship between adaptation to disability and quality of life. The first null hypothesis was rejected as this research demonstrated a significant relationship between adaptation to disability and quality of life. The second null hypothesis was not rejected as optimism did not significantly moderate the relationship between adaptation to disability and quality of life. However, optimism, along with adaptation to disability, did predict quality of life. A MANOVA was used to test the following null hypothesis associated with the second research question: there are no significant differences in optimism, adaptation to disability, and quality of life between college students with low perceived severity of disability and high perceived severity of disability. The null hypothesis was not rejected as this research indicated significant differences in optimism, adaptation to disability, and quality of life between college students with low and high perceived severity of disability. This research supports the tenets behind Bishop's Disability Centrality model and demonstrates the relationship and similarities between adaptation to disability and quality of life. This study also demonstrates the importance of continued research regarding functional limitations and perceived severity of disability. Additionally, this research provides evidence that further study of individual differences for college students with disabilities is necessary in order to better understand how to foster successful adaptation to disability and increase quality of life. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2013. / April 4, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references. / Deborah Ebener, Professor Directing Dissertation; Mary Francis Hanline, University Representative; Angel Canto, Committee Member; Debra Osbron, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_185100 |
| Contributors | Freeman, Amanda J. (authoraut), Ebener, Deborah (professor directing dissertation), Hanline, Mary Francis (university representative), Canto, Angel (committee member), Osbron, Debra (committee member), Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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