1 of 1

Dynamicity: An Important and Understudied Dimension of Disability��Elodie Carel1, Allecia Reid2, Ashley Woodman2�1Children’s National Hospital, Washington D.C., 2University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst MA

Background

Methods

Results

Discussion

  • Dynamic disability, a term introduced in the media, reflects that some people experience fluctuation in their impairments.�
  • Little research has examined dynamic disability and no measure of dynamicity exists.

​

  • Visibility of a disability is known to affect experiences with discrimination, as well mental and physical health. Dynamicity may have similar implications and warrants attention.�
  • Objective: To develop a measure of disability dynamicity, examine whether it differs by self-reported dynamicity status, and identify which disabilities are most associated with dynamicity.

​

Participants

  • 127 people with self-reported disabilities.
  • On average, participants were 41 years old, White (71.6%), woman-identifying (58.3%), and working full-time (60.5%).

Measures

  • The Dynamic Disability Scale (DDS)
      • Five-point Likert Scale (1 = Definitely No to 5= Definitely Yes)
      • Items summed
    • Is your impairment more disabling on some days than others?
    • Are you more disabled some days than others?
    • Would you say that your level of disability fluctuates on a regular basis?
    • To what degree does your ability to do the following activities fluctuate? (Seeing, hearing, walking, lifting, concentrating)
    • Do you experience periods of time where you rely on your accommodations and/or assistive technology more heavily than others?
    • Are there periods of time where people notice your disability more than others?
    • Are there periods of time where you experience more stigma than usual because of your disability?
  • Direct measure: Is definition of dynamic disability personally relevant? (yes, unsure, no)
  • Self-report of impairment/diagnosis
  • Dynamicity is endorsed by those with higher DDS scores. �
  • Diagnoses reported by participants with above-median DDS scores are more likely to fluctuate than other impairments like dyslexia.�
  • These findings suggest that the Dynamic Disability Scale is measuring dynamic disability and warrants further exploration.
  • Half (55%) of participants identified their disability as dynamic; 13% were unsure, and 32% reported that their disability did not match the description. �
  • An ANOVA revealed significant differences in DDS scores between the three self-reported dynamicity statuses (F(2, 124) = 33.52, p < .001).�
  • Those who did not self-report dynamicity had lower DDS scores (M= 20.59) than those who responded “unsure” (M= 26.25, p < .001) or “yes” (M= 28.51, p < .001). �
  • Of those with an above-median DDS score mental/emotional health conditions (68%), chronic health condition/chronic illness (36%), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (18%), and physical disability/mobility impairments (15%) were the most endorsed impairments/diagnoses.

Initial evidence supports that the Dynamic Disability Scale captures the experience of living with a disability that fluctuates and that further study on the measure is warranted.

Correspondence to ecarel@childrensnational.org

Citations

Bernness, B. (2020, June 13). My Disability Is Dynamic. Medium. https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/my-disability-is-dynamic-bc2a619fcc1.

Kattari, S. K., Olzman, M., & Hanna, M. D. (2018). “You look fine!” Ableist experiences by people with invisible disabilities. Affilia, 33(4), 477-492.

Shakespeare, T. (2006). The social model of disability. The disability studies reader, 2, � 197-204.

​