Quality of Life among Divyang with Locomotor Disability: A Psychological Perspective

Divyang means ‘one with divine body,’ was coined to change the socially constructed mindset and prejudicial attitude attributed to disability that is associated with compromised quality of life (QOL), a lower sense of self-efficacy (SE), and poor emotional regulation (ER). It is therefore necessary to change both the way society views them and how they introspect themselves to overcome the challenges. The present study aims to identify some psychological resources, such as SE and ER, that ascertain QOL and to ensure the significant association between these psychological factors and QOL among Divyangjan. A correlational and cross-sectional study was designed to obtain a sample of 130 Divyang with locomotor disability drawn from different places in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India. After gaining informed consent, WHOQOL BREF, General Self-Efficacy Scale and Interpersonal Emotional Regulation Questionnaire were used to measure QOL, SE and ER, respectively. A significant positive association was found among these study variables, namely ER (r=.555), SE (r=.302) with QOL at p<0.01. Additionally, SE played a substantial role in determining QOL, with 30.8% of total variance at p<0.01. Furthermore, QOL is significantly predicted by enhancing positive affect, perspective taking and social modeling (13.2%, 7.1% and 9.6% of total variance, respectively) at p<0.01. The study contributes to the growing field of positive psychology and disability by highlighting the evidence for designing targeted psychological interventions, inclusive practices and community-based programs that promote empowerment, inclusivity and wellbeing in this Divyang population.