Date of Award
5-7-2025
Document Type
Thesis
First Advisor
Jeffrey A. Brune
Second Advisor
Rachel Pizzie
Abstract
Mental health issues can become disabling, and living with a disability in an ableist world can cause mental health struggles. This project explores what aspects of living with a disability generate stress. This project is a survey that gathered data through a two-questionnaire survey of disabled college-aged students. The need for a project like this came from the fact that there is not substantial research from the field of psychology done on disabled people and the relationship between disability and stress. The results of this study found that the more disability impact increases, so does disability related stress. This means the more limitations and effects of the disability experienced has a positive correlation with the amount of stress a person experiences. Results also showed that the disability impact influenced stress specifically relating to participation limitations. These results suggest that increased stress was specifically noted when individuals were trying to access their environment and technology. The results from this project broadens the scope of research on what life with a disability is like and has the potential to contribute to better mental health treatments now knowing how disability impact influences stress.
Recommended Citation
McClyman, Katie, "Exploring the Relationship Between Disability and Stress: A Preliminary Study" (2025). Undergraduate University Honors Capstones. 128.
https://ida.gallaudet.edu/honors_capstones/128
