DOI: 10.5064/f6pka0ut
title: Data for: Disability Studies in Social Psychology: Research Directions Informed by a Survey of People with Disabilities

description: &lt;h3&gt;Project Overview&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Psychological research concerning disability has failed to consistently recognize people with disabilities as a relevant marginalized group or to advance a fuller understanding of their experiences in an ableist society. This project seeks to emphasize the importance of social psychological research that celebrates difference, and that works with and for the disabled community. In doing so, it calls attention to the value of including people with disabilities in broader conversations about diversity, normalcy, and social change.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This qualitative study focuses on the perspectives of people with disabilities regarding their disability identity, disability culture, allyship, and needed social change with the aim of informing preliminary directions for future research connecting social psychology and disability studies. Data were collected from 31 individuals with disabilities through an online survey and analyzed using an integrated framework of disability models and prominent social psychological theories. The findings highlight substantial heterogeneity in the experiences and views of people with disabilities, underscoring the depth and breadth of future research needed to better understand the disabled experience and the meaning of empowerment within the disabled community. &lt;/p&gt;
description: &lt;h3&gt;Data and Data Collection Overview&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Data collection ran from March 2023 to May 2023. A link to the survey was posted on various online platforms and at physical locations via flyer on a university campus in the western United States. The link was also distributed among personal and family contacts of the researcher. Online, the survey was initially posted on the messaging platform Slack and a personal social media account. In subsequent weeks, the survey was posted to six online forum pages dedicated to disability discussion and/or research participation, as well as a university-affiliated social media account. The survey was closed after a period of three weeks when no new responses were submitted despite continued data collection efforts. &lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Data were gathered via a qualitative Google Forms survey with nine open-ended questions. The survey was completely anonymous to reduce the risk of social desirability bias. Respondents were informed at the beginning of the survey of the researcher’s own disability status (non-disabled), the anonymity of all answers, and the survey’s purpose as part of research on the connection between disability studies and social psychology; they were also encouraged to share only information which they were comfortable sharing. The survey questions were developed to ask about common social psychological topics (e.g., identity, interpersonal relationships) with specific application to disability. Allyship was also a key concept explored.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A self-selected sample of 31 respondents participated, representing 36 disabilities in total. Eleven participants identified as multiply disabled. The most common self-reported disabilities included autism and neurodivergence, C-PTSD/PTSD, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and d/Deaf or hard of hearing (HOH). The remaining 29 disabilities encompassed a wide range of physical, mental health, cognitive, chronic health, and intellectual conditions, such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, chronic migraine, and Tourette syndrome. Responses reflect language used verbatim by participants, even where it includes outdated and / or reclaimed phrasing. &lt;/p&gt;
description: &lt;h3&gt;Selection and Organization of Shared Data&lt;/h3&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The data files shared here consist of the survey responses in the form of a spreadsheet.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The documentation files shared consist of the questionnaire, the codebook used to analyze the data, this Data Narrative, and an administrative README file.&lt;/p&gt;