AN ASSESSMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING OF YOUNG ADULT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND WITHOUT DISABILITY abstract

Background: Disabled students are an integral part of any institution. If disabled students studied at the university level, their self-confidence, self-esteem, psychological well-being, and quality of life would develop. Studies related to the quality of life and psychological well-being of disabled students are still limited in India. Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess the quality of life and psychological well-being of disabled students and compare them with those of students who are not disabled. Methods and Materials: The sample consisted of 50 disabled students and 50 non-disabled students of either sex, aged between 20 and 30 years. Ryff’s psychological well-being and the WHO quality of life scale were used to assess psychological well-being and quality of life. Informed consent was obtained from all the participants. The ethics committee at our university gave its approval to the study. Results: There were significantly lower scores in disabled students compared to non-disabled students in almost all the domains of quality of life and all the dimensions of psychological well-being. No significant differences were found between male and female disabled students on all domains of psychological well-being and quality of life, except for personal growth dimensions of psychological well-being. Conclusion: Our study suggests poor quality of life and psychological well-being in disabled students as compared to non-disabled students.