Disability and identity: A study of identity patterns in adolescents with hearing impairments.

Some children with physical disabilities are encouraged to identify exclusively with nondisabled persons, relinquishing any identity with others who have disabilities. The implications of such a personal identification on adjustment were examined by measuring identity choice in 111 students (aged 15–19 yrs) at a state school for persons with hearing impairments. Ss were classified into 3 groups: those with a predominant hearing identity (able-bodied identity), those with a primary deaf identity (disabled identity), and those who identified with both groups (dual identity). Analyses focused on the relationship between the Ss' identity and indicators of the Ss' social relations, self-evaluations, academic achievement, and perceived family acceptance of their disability. Data indicate that an able-bodied identity was consistently associated with poorer outcomes and a dual identity with better outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)