Stigmatization of people with disability as a psychological barrier towards integration to social life

Abstract

Today, for Ukraine the problem of stigmatizing people with certain physical health disorders is actual. The implementation of social programs, actions and initiatives direct to the comprehensive rehabilitation of people with certain physical health disorders and realization their potential, despite all other factors; it is significantly slowed down by the fact that there is a set of persistent negative stereotypes in Ukrainian society regarding such people. Stigmatization of people with disability as a social group is becoming increasingly significant socio-cultural phenomenon. At the same time, the mechanisms of stigmatization are also manifested at the level of self-identification. People with disability may have at least three stigma strategies: the acceptance, speculation of illness and resistance. Particularly painful this question is for those with disability who strive for full value working life and professional realization. Stigmatization is quite close to discrimination. In addition, the causes of the problem are not only physical defects of people with disability. First, there is a high level of corruption in Ukraine and there are people who have made a disability for money. Certainly, after that, the society will be sceptical and suspicious for all people with disability, who do not have the physical manifestations of disability. Discrimination can be manifested in various forms when hiring and in the process of employment, on a daily attitude towards the person with the disability. The problem of discrimination and stigmatization of people with disability remains acute both in Ukraine and in other countries of the world. However, it is obvious that the formal prohibition of discrimination at the state level does not eliminate this problem. Particularly painful is the question for those people with disability who see a fulfilling working life and professional realization. To removal the problem of discrimination and stigmatization, the scientists suggest work in two ways: to take action with those who are stigmatized and discriminated and with those who stigmatizes and discriminates, which requires different methods of solving the problem. Working with people with disability should help them to take an active life position, and this should be supported by appropriate rehabilitation, training, counselling and infrastructure arrangements. In turn, the working with others should be directed to developing a conscious vision of the problems of people with disability, understanding and tolerance. Thus, one of the important measures in the medium and long term is to carry out the scientific research on various topics, aimed at studying the problems of people with disability, the effectiveness and efficiency of individual measures of their (re-) integration; behaviour of society and individual groups of the population towards people with disability, the opportunities for participation of certain groups of people with disability in such types of work which were previously unavailable to them.