8 Dimensions of Disability

While there are countless conditions that can result in disability, understanding just a few key characteristics can tell us a lot about how people might experience disability and how others will react to them. Below are eight cross-cutting dimensions of disability, described in a new chapter of the Handbook of Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination.

1. Disability type. Categorized by the major functions affected, disability types include mobility, communication, intellectual, cognitive, chronic health, sensory, mental health disabilities, and many more. Some types are more commonly associated with our stereotype of what a disability is, such as mobility, sensory, and intellectual disabilities. For example, the symbol on disabled parking spots and bathrooms depicts a wheelchair user. The public may less readily recognize other disabilities—these include invisible disabilities, chronic health conditions, rare disorders, and mental health conditions. People with non-stereotypical disabilities may receive less support and more invalidation. They may also be less inclined to identify as disabled themselves.
2. Time of onset. Disability is perhaps the only minority group one can be born into or one can join at any point in life. Research indicates that individuals with congenital disabilities or who acquire them in early childhood may have an adaptive advantage (Bogart, 2020). These individuals go through their initial development with their disability, learning to navigate the social and physical world alongside their disability. In contrast, those who acquire disabilities often face the challenge of relearning how to function. They may experience grief over the change in their abilities, identity, and how others perceive them (Adler et al., 2021). Evidence shows that those with congenital or early onset disabilities tend to have a stronger disability self-concept, which includes disability identity and self-efficacy which is, in turn, associated with higher life satisfaction (Bogart, 2014).
3. Observability. The degree to which a disability is noticeable shapes the kind of ableism individuals may encounter. (I prefer to use the term “observable” instead of “visible” to avoid an ableist focus on one sensory domain and also to acknowledge that some disabilities may be observed through channels other than sight (e.g., a speech disorder). The majority of disabilities are non-observable, including chronic health and mental health conditions. While such disabilities allow individuals to “pass” as nondisabled and potentially avoid overt ableism, people with non-observable disabilities may face disbelief from others, including healthcare professionals, due to the absence of visible signs. On the other hand, observable disabilities—such as amputated limbs, facial differences, or the use of assistive devices—can attract stares, questions, and more blatant forms of ableism. Thus, ableism impacts both those with invisible and visible disabilities, though in different ways: subtle as opposed to overt.

This is an excerpt from Psychology Today. The full article is available for free at the link below.