A Study of the Impact of Discrimination Experience on Life Satisfaction in Korean Women with Severe Disabilities

The present study analyzed the effect of discrimination experience on the life satisfaction in women with severe disabilities and the mediating effect of disability acceptance. In verifying this mediating effect of disability acceptance between discrimination experience and life satisfaction, both discrimination experience and disability acceptance were found to be statistically significant in the first and second phases. Disability acceptance was found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between discrimination experience and life satisfaction. Based on this finding, measures for enhancing the quality of life in individuals with disabilities that experience low levels of life satisfaction were proposed.

Authors:

• Soungwan Kim

Keywords:

• Disability Discrimination
• Disability Acceptance
• Life Satisfaction
• Mediating Effect.

References:

[1] Beckles, M. B. (2004). Poverty and Disability: Advocating to eliminate
social exclusion. National Centre for Persons with Disabilities Trinidad
and Tobago.
[2] Baek Eun-ryeong. (2004). Factors that affect the quality of life of people
with severe disabilities. Korean Academy of Disability and Welfare, 1,
115-145.
[3] Diener, E. (1984). Subjective well-being. Psychological Bulletin, 95,
545-575.
[4] Diener, E., Horwitz, J., & Emmons, R. A. (1985). Happiness of the very
wealthy. Social Indicators Research, 16, 263-274.
[5] Bardasi, E., & Francesconi, M. (2004). The impact of atypical
employment on individual wellbeing: Evidence from a panel of British
workers. Social Science & Medicine, 58, 1671-1688.
[6] Lee, J. (2009). Factors that affect life satisfaction of people with
disabilities and economic difficulties: Disabled who receive basic welfare
benefits in Gwangju Metropolitan City. The Korean Association for
Governance Journal, 16(1), 79-105.
[7] Kim, M., & Park, M. (2000). Study of the impact of religion on the quality
of life for the elderly. The Korea Gerontological Society, 20(2), 29-47.
[8] Kim, B. (2007). Determinants of quality of life for the disabled:
Environmental characteristics and social participation of persons with
cerebral palsy. Korean Association of Social Welfare Policy, 29, 5-28.
[9] Cho, W., Kim, S., & Ha, M. (1999). Problems and ways to improve access
of the disabled to public facilities: A case study of Gwangju Metropolitan
City. Korean Association of Social Welfare Policy, 8, 125-148.
[10] Ministry of Health and Welfare. (2006). Health and Welfare White Paper.
[11] Yun, D. (2007). A study of the impact of use of living assistance service
for the disabled on the quality of life of people with severe disabilities.
University of Seoul, master’s thesis.
[12] Kim, J. (2009). A study of factors that affect the quality of life of people
with severe disabilities: Persons with severe disabilities in Cheongju City.
Kkottongnae University, master’s thesis.
[13] Kim, S., Byeon, Y., & Park, S. (2004). Ways to relieve discrimination for
social inclusion of the disabled. Korea Women’s Development Institute.
[14] Cha, E., & Im, S. (2013). The impact of discrimination experience on
depression in the disabled: The moderation effect of social economic
participation. Social Science Studies, 29(1), 237-260.
[15] Yu, D. (2000). Analysis of the effect of discrimination against the
disabled in the labor market: With a focus on physical disability. Seoul
National University, doctoral thesis.
[16] Na, U., Park, G., & Jeon, M. (2003). Study of employment discrimination
against the disabled. The Korean Association for Public Administration,
37(2), 355-377.
[17] Kang, D. (2002). A structural analysis of the labor market for workers
with disability in Korea with a focus on education and sex. Korea Journal
of Social Welfare, 50, 157-172.
[18] Lee, M. (2011). The impact of welfare service use by disabled persons at
home on life satisfaction and the moderating effect of discrimination
experience. Kyungnam University, master’s thesis.
[19] Lee, S. (2004), A study of the factors of discrimination against the
disabled. Korean Academy of Disability and Welfare, 1, 37-61.
[20] Baek, E., & Noh, S. (2010). A study of factors that affect the life
satisfaction of older people with physical disability: The mediating effects
of discrimination experience and discrimination perception. Korean
Academy of Disability and Welfare, 13, 1-21.
[21] Koh, M., & Kim, D. (2014). The relationship between discrimination
experience of employees with serious disabilities and life satisfaction.
Journal of Korea Society for Wellness, 8(2), 105-114.
[22] Park, H. (2014). The effect of discrimination against people with serious
disabilities on life satisfaction: The mediating effect of self-respect. The
Journal of Next-Generation Humanity and Social Sciences, 10, 105-123.
[23] Lee, J. (2011). The impact of discrimination experience and self-stigma
on life satisfaction of the disabled. Social Science Studies, 27(1),
277-299.
[24] Bjornskov, C., Dreher, A., & Fischer, J. A. V. (2007). On gender
inequality and life satisfaction: Does discrimination matter? LOF
Working Paper, 161.
[25] Marcel, P. J., & Dijkers, M. (1999). Correlates of life satisfaction among
persons with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation, 80(8), 867-876.
[26] Dembo, T., Leviton, G., & Wright, B. A. (1956). Adjustment to
misfortune: A problem in social psychological rehabilitation. Artificial
Limbs, 3, 4-62.
[27] Wright, B. A. (1983). Physical disability: A psychological approach (2nd
ed.). New York: Harper & Row.
[28] Leveneh, H. (2001). Psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and
disability: A conceptual framework. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin,
44, 151-160.
[29] Li, L., & Moore, D. (1998). Acceptance of disability and its correlates.
Journal of Science Psychology Bulletin, 14, 236-224.
[30] Noh, S., & Hwang, H. (2007). The impact of self-selection and local
community integration on the quality of life of adults with intellectual
disability. Korea National Institute for Special Education, 17(2), 233-257.
[31] Horowitz, A. J., Reinhart, M., & Brennan, C. (1997). Aging and vision
loss: Experience, attitude and knowledge of older Americans. Arene R.
Gordon Research Institute. The Lighthouse Inc.
[32] Devlieger, P. (1999). “Local knowledge and international collaboration
in disability programs.” In B. Holzer, A. Vreede., & Weight (eds).
Disability in different cultures: Reflections on local concepts, New
Brunswick: Transaction Publishers.
[33] Park, J., & Eom, M. (2009). An analysis of the relationship between social
support and life satisfaction of people with disabilities: The mediating
effect of disability acceptance. Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 13(4),
1-23.
[34] Mackinnon, D. P., Lockwood C. M., Hoffman J. M., West S. G., & Sheets,
V. (2002). A comparison of methods to test mediation and other
intervening variable effects. Psychological Methods, 7, 83-104.
[35] Jeong, M. (2012). A study of support for science class at deaf school. The
Korean Society of Education for Hearing-Language Impairments, 3(2),
109-121.
[36] Chatfield, S. W. (1977). Economic and sociological factors influencing
life satisfaction of aged. Journal of Gerontology, 32(5), 593-599.