Independent living, emotional well-being, and quality of life in people with disabilities: the mediator role of self-determination and satisfaction with participation

• Published in: Frontiers in psychology Vol. 14; p. 1279014
• Main Authors: Cegarra, Blanca, Cattaneo, Gabriele, Ribes, Alina, Solana-Sánchez, Javier, Saurí, Joan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 2023
• Subjects: disability; emotional well-being; independent living; participation; quality of life; self-determination; participation; emotional well-being; independent living; self-determination; quality of life; disability
• ISSN: 1664-1078; 1664-1078
• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1279014

In the field of disability and rehabilitation, has become an important therapeutic objective due to its potential impact on rehabilitation, prognosis, and patient's mid and long-term well-being. However, only a few studies have explored this issue in relation with the subjective perspective of individuals with disabilities about their decision-making capacity and satisfaction with the activities in which they participate. Our aim is to analyze the relationship between in society of people with disabilities and both emotional well-being and quality of life, including variables about subjective perspective of (satisfaction) and the ability to decide and pursue their own preferences. The cross-sectional study presented here includes 424 participants with disabilities over 18-years-old from Spain. This research is part of a larger ongoing longitudinal cohort study called (https://participa.guttmann.com/en/). Participants were asked to complete several on-line surveys to explore quality of life, emotional well-being, in society, self-determination, and independent living. The results revealed an association between the dimensions of participation satisfaction, self-determination, and levels of independent living with both quality of life and emotional well-being. Mediation models indicated that satisfaction and self-determination partially mediated the relationship between independent living and both quality of life and emotional well-being. The level of independent living, self-determination, and satisfaction with are fundamental aspects for promoting a high quality of life and emotional well-being in people with disabilities. These findings carry significant implications for health and social services, as well as policies guidelines, highlighting the need to prioritize empowerment and self-determination in all interventions designed for people with disabilities.