Self-Stigma Among Physically Disabled Students

Abstract

Abstract:

The current study aimed to identify the level of self-stigma among students with physical disabilities, based on Patrick Corrigan's theory (2002), using a sample of students from Al-Manar and Al-Saada Institute, affiliated with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs in Baghdad, during the 2024–2025 academic year. The research sample consisted of 200 male and female students, aged 8–19 years. The researcher used a self-stigma scale developed according to Corrigan's theory, consisting of 40 items distributed across four dimensions: perception and acceptance of negative ideas, agreement with stereotypes, low self-esteem, and negative emotions.

The results showed that the students' mean score was 87.22, which is higher than the hypothetical mean of 80, with a statistically significant t-value, indicating that students with physical disabilities suffer from a high level of self-stigma. This result can be explained by students' internalization of negative societal stereotypes about physical disability, leading to low self-esteem, feelings of inferiority, and social withdrawal.