Identity Across the Life Span
We know that identity as a psychological construct is always changing and shifting, not only in the way that we measure is but also just within the individual. Ones identity is never static, it stretches across the life span.
In that this construct is ever shifting across the life span I thought identity would be an important focus for my research of disability across the life span.
Medical Lens:
The majority of developmental models in general, view the individual from the medical model. This is really no surprise to anyone who's life is touched by disability because these developmental models are used by the medical field to identify abnormality. So these very models of development are creating some of the diagnostic criteria for individuals with disability to be labeled.
The problem lies within the individual.
None of the major developmental models that are consistently taught and re-taught all around the world take into consideration aspects of disability (Smart, 2011). People with disabilities are left out of these developmental models even though we know that nearly 1 in 16 newborns have a congenital disability and this does not even include those to acquire a disability later in life. So one might ask the question why are individuals with disables not included in these major theories?
In the following bullet points we can see some ways that the developmental stages are affected by disability. Even though disability is not directly considered within the major developmental models we still conceptualize the ways in which ones disability interacts with their experience of development over time.
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(Smart 2011)
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When we examine these established models from the prospective of a developing person with disabilities we begin to see just how much some of these models are stigmatizing in and of them selves to people with a disability. Take for instance the two models that are pictured below. We see Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development on the left and Piaget's cognitive theory of development to the right. Innately within these stages there is a built in conditional belief that development leads one towards a more independent and autonomous life whether that be physically, cognitively, or emotionally. This is not always possible for individuals with disability due to their reliance on others to assist them in physical, cognitive, and emotional ways. This medicalized view point of individuals progressing through such strict step wise developmental phases out rightly excludes individuals with certain disabilities and it certainly does not allow for any adaptation or adjustment for those that become disabled at different points in their life development.
Then there are other models that are more easily translated to the experiences of individuals with disability. We see this is Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. Individuals with a disability might need more support in some of these areas in order to meet their physiological or safety needs, but they desire love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization just as much as the next person.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs has even been adapted to consider how one might utilize these stages to transcend ones experience of disability. Through the steps as seen in the bullet points bellow, one can imagine how an individual with disabilities might challenge themselves to move toward more acceptance of themselves despite the differences that they have compared to others. But again this is through a medical lens perspective that the individual has to adapt and change themselves to feel more accepted. I do not think that one can avoid the self examination that everyone experiences in coming to terms with their identity, but all the same the model is about what is going on within the individual.
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(Smart 2011)
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Though there are not developmental models to help support understanding of people with disability in physical, relational, or cognitive aspects, there are models that discuss the development of identity. Three models are presented bellow:
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(Smart 2011)
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Though I cannot say that these models completely fit within the medical model especially in the later stages of acceptance and transformation of values, we see that all three of these models are individual focused, in that the individual has to adapt themselves to adjust to how the outside world is treating them. Identity in general is the personal interpretation of how others perceive you and then how you internalize that (Smart 2013). I find it especially eye opening that the stages of adjustment model is based off of the grief model. However, this is not surprising considering the way that we view individuals with disability as limited and experiencing loss of these different aspects of themselves whether it be connected to their physical body, their cognition, or their emotional experiences. Then when you think about the individual experience of disability their is this dynamic of grieving for perhaps living a "normal" life. Now whether or not that "normal" life is one worth grieving for becomes part of the exploration process. The idea in all of these models is that the individual has to come to terms with their personal experiences and views of themselves.
Social Lens:
The social model of disability is an identity model within itself. It can help both persons with disabilities and persons without understand the larger social dynamics of what is occurring daily in the environment to stigmatize and separate individuals with disability from those without (http://www.chapmandisabilitystudies.com/Social-Model.html). This model can help individuals be able to move beyond internalized feelings of incompetency and being less than. It is a powerful perspective that broadens the view of responsibility beyond just the person with disability.
Excitingly there are a few developmental models that are more inclusive due to the more social nature of their perspectives. Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model is one that allows for developmental conceptualization of individuals with disability. We see in this model the broad and complicated systems that affect us as individuals as we grow. A persona with disabilities could utilize this model to understand and incorporate the ways that they interact with the world as well as how the world interacts with them. The interactions of the system are reciprocal and cyclical in nature, always changing and acknowledging the layers of interaction.
Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Model
Then there is also Vygotsky's model of disability that is more inclusive of social dynamics. Vygotsky believed that the individual learns from the social and cultural atmosphere surrounding the child as they progress. Though his theory does not directly ever consider person's with disabilities, we can see how one can utilize the teachings to incorporate the social model of disability and explain some of the internalized stigma that the medical model creates within society. The image bellow shows the aspect of Vygotsky's model that includes the zone of proximal development. One might utilize this model to support an individual with disabilities in doing things that they can and cannot do on their own. This theory supports differences in ability as well as striving forward and always continuing to learn.
This video bellow walks viewers through the changing dynamics in the field of disability studies and how as a group people with disabilities are expanding the image of what it means to identify as an individual with a disability. Dr. AndreAs Neumann-Mascis has a very insightful and genital way of explaining how we as a society can support those with disability and understand their experiences.
In reference to the idea of disability pride Dr. AndreAs Neumann-Mascis states in this video: “Being a person with a disability as an identity and as a solid part of who I am and as a solid part of how I have experienced the world is real and valuable and brings with it some wisdom, some knowledge and some skill that I wouldn’t have without this experience. That in the absence of moving through the world in this way I would be a really different person and there are strengths that I would not have. Disability pride really challenges us to say, well if that’s true, if disability identity is a thing that is real and that is a thing that has inherent value then what does it mean that having that experience is in the way that we interact with the world and the way that we interact with each other. And it is in disability pride that we begin to see a way of articulating what it is to be a person of resources. What it is to be a person who can be a part of a collaboration, who can be a part of something that is strengthening and empowering and good across a wide range of experiences.”
(Radical DisAbility: Understanding Ableism and Disability Identities, 2015)
Disability Pride
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| (Dunn and Burcaw, 2013) |
Autobiographical Lens:
https://www.facebook.com/iamnotmydisability/videos/727250044046509/
The video linked here is an excerpt from a documentary that James Geiger and Rahsaan Thomas are making to inform people about the identity that James has beyond his disability. This particular excerpt is very powerful and profound. James responds to the question of would you change if you could? This question strikes at the core of the disability pride model Jame's response is honest to the core.
The video linked here is an excerpt from a documentary that James Geiger and Rahsaan Thomas are making to inform people about the identity that James has beyond his disability. This particular excerpt is very powerful and profound. James responds to the question of would you change if you could? This question strikes at the core of the disability pride model Jame's response is honest to the core.
What I am not my disability is all about:
“When you see a disabled person, do you think about the
person beyond the disability? Do you make an effort to know the person behind the face you see? James Geiger is a physically challenged man in his 20s
who is judged as mentally challenged as a result of his appearance, physical
impairments, and speech impediment. In fact, James has a Master’s Degree in
Education (Instructional Technology), is socially adept, and a talented
photographer/videographer. He has spent his whole life being stereotyped and
underestimated, and often receives verbal abuse as a result of other people’s
inability to see the person within.
Our goal is to produce a documentary highlighting the importance of getting to know the complete person. This project springs from our efforts as community leaders and organizers to raise the awareness of those who make quick judgments of others. The intended purpose of this documentary is to spotlight one person’s experiences, to be a voice for countless people who encounter unwarranted judgment on a daily basis.In the end this documentary will be a celebration of life, love, talent, art, dedication, persistence and victory over stereotypes and judgmental attitudes. We are going to walk with James in all his frustrations, pains, fears and loves.” (I am not my disability)
Our goal is to produce a documentary highlighting the importance of getting to know the complete person. This project springs from our efforts as community leaders and organizers to raise the awareness of those who make quick judgments of others. The intended purpose of this documentary is to spotlight one person’s experiences, to be a voice for countless people who encounter unwarranted judgment on a daily basis.In the end this documentary will be a celebration of life, love, talent, art, dedication, persistence and victory over stereotypes and judgmental attitudes. We are going to walk with James in all his frustrations, pains, fears and loves.” (I am not my disability)
In another strikingly honest way, the following excerpt from a reddit post that I stumbled across provided meaningful insight, like James' statements, into the cross sections of the medical and social models of disability. Individuals with disability have a lot of real pain, confusion, and dark moments to get through. This conversation between individuals shows me the power of connection and empathy. It shows me the reality to daily life and the challenges of accepting these parts of yourself that are so hard to accept. Interestingly I think that everyone in the world can relate to having experiences at one point or another when you just struggled to accept yourself.
The Ugly Face of Disability Hate Crime - BBC Documentary
"Adam Pearson is on a mission to explore disability hate crime - to find
out why it goes under-reported, under-recorded and under people's radar.
In this documentary, Adam challenges people into questioning their
attitudes towards disability and disfigurement, to uncover the roots of
the issue" (Binyon, 2015).
I thought that this was am important perspective to present because of the often invisible experience of discrimination that individuals with disability experience in their lives. It was an important aspect of the disability pride article that I presented above and I think that understanding the often unnoticed and subconscious reactions that people have to disability is important in discerning and understanding the identity development of individuals with disability. As Adam discovers in part of this film, through acknowledging prejudice and challenging the reality of the thing you are prejudice against change to occur.
This is a blog that Craig Philip has dedicated to sharing his experiences of his traumatic brain injury. Craig has written prolifically on the topic of accepting himself as an individual with a traumatic brain injury. The purpose of his posts are to help others learn about his journey in the hopes of helping them on theirs. Craig's message is one of self love and acceptance that like so many others has grown into a desire to advocate and support others with disabilities. I believe that so many people in the general population could learn from him and all the other autobiographical perspectives that have been presented here. It is striking to see the ways in which individuals with disabilities, much like others with minority identities, come to accept themselves even more than the more privileged able bodied person might accept themselves. I think a model of identity development that encompasses the experiences of individuals with disability would be inclusive enough to assist able bodies individuals in accepting themselves as well. What a strange idea, by including those on the outskirts we can be more inclusive of everyone, while really acknowledging the worth, wisdom, and knowledge that individuals with disability have to offer.
