Social support of Palestinian adults with disabilities in the Gaza Strip

Abstract EN

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the social support levels perceived by Palestinian adults with disabilities and to compare the data with socio-demographic variables.

Method: N=416 participants (n=263 men, n=53 women); ages ranged from 19-70 years (M= 33.56 years) were selected randomly from the databases of two NGOs for people with disabilities.

Instruments: Demographic data were collected via questionnaire for gender, age, class, and place of residence and attitudes and perceptions about social adaptation, life status, social role, self-esteem and self-concept were via the Social Support Scale.

Results: The most commonly reported items in the Social Support Scale included feeling the need for security (69.6%), not feeling satisfied about quality of life (39%), understanding the demands of a new life (53.3%), feeling the need for love and social recognition (69.4%), and being aware of personal potential and ability (69.4%).

Men with disabilities reported higher self-esteem than women with disabilities.

Those who had no income had less social adaptation, less life status, less social role, and less self-concept.

Conclusion and clinical implications: The importance of focus for improving the social support, self-esteem, and well-being of disabled Palestinian adults and families.

Self-esteem enhancement interventions offered in this context might well have an increased effect when combined with the other services available through independent living.

Culturally sensitive interventions need to be developed to further enable people in all strata of the social hierarchy to understand their own worth and bring about changes in their lives and communities.

Psychosocial interventions can play a useful role in supporting awareness and the development of accurate and positive appraisals of the self, alongside the process of adjusting to life of disabled people.