Disclosing non-visible disabilities in educational workplaces: a scoping review

• Published in: British medical bulletin Vol. 150; no. 1; pp. 23 - 41
• Main Authors: Hassard, Juliet, Yildrim, Mehmet, Thomson, Louise, Blake, Holly
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 02.03.2024
• Subjects: Disabled Persons - psychology; Disclosure; Humans; Invited Review; Social Stigma; Workplace - psychology; disability disclosure; education; workplaces
• ISSN: 0007-1420; 1471-8391; 1471-8391
• DOI: 10.1093/bmb/ldae004

a sizable proportion of the working population has a disability that is not visible. Many choose not to disclose this at work, particularly in educational workplaces where disability is underrepresented. A better understanding of the barriers and facilitators to disclosure is needed. this scoping review is based on studies published in scientific journals. the reasons underpinning disclosure are complex and emotive-in-nature. Both individual and socio-environmental factors influence this decision and process. Stigma and perceived discrimination are key barriers to disclosure and, conversely, personal agency a key enabler. there is a growing trend of non-visible disabilities within the workplace, largely because of the increasing prevalence of mental ill health. Understanding the barriers and facilitators to disability disclosure is key to the provision of appropriate workplace support. our review shows that both individual and socio-environmental factors influence choice and experience of disclosure of non-visible disabilities in educational workplaces. Ongoing stigma and ableism in the workplace, in particular, strongly influence disabled employees' decision to disclose (or not), to whom, how and when. developing workplace interventions that can support employees with non-visible disabilities and key stakeholders during and beyond reasonable adjustments is imperative.