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Social, cultural, and political influences have altered the way in which disability is individually and collectively understood in contemporary society. The authors revised the Acceptance of Disability Scale (ADS; Linkowski, 1971) in an effort to respond to these changes, and to empirically support the reliability and validity of the scale's measurement of acceptance of loss theory. Principal components analysis of 356 individuals' responses on the ADS yielded four domains that parallel value changes fundamental to adaptation to disability. Results from this analysis offer a shortened 32-item multidimensional scale that, with additional research to validate its efficacy, may be used as an effective measure of an individual's level of adaptation to disability.
Attitudes towards persons with disabilities throughout the early- to mid-20th century often conveyed fear, stigma, and/or pity (Parker & Szymanski, 1998; Rubin & Roessler, 2001). Opportunities for living a full, productive, satisfying life were modest at best, and emphasis was on examining personal characteristics that could be enhanced or altered to improve levels of acceptance toward living with disability. One's ability to reach an effective level of acceptance was interpreted by much of the general public as a personal struggle, whereby psychological and medical support were compulsory interventions. Linkowski (1969, 1971) developed the Acceptance of Disability Scale (ADS) during this timeframe to clarify a person's struggles with acceptance of disability. He created the ADS in an effort to reflect the value change process associated with acceptance of loss theory (Dembo, Leviton, & Wright, 1956; Wright, 1983). The value change process as defined by Wright (1983) pertains to four distinct shifts toward acceptance of loss. These shifts include: Enlargement of Scope of Values, whereby a person is able to see values other than those that conflict with having a disability; Subordination of Physique, whereby a person is able to de-emphasize physical ability and appearance; Containment of Disability Effects, whereby an individual does not spread the handicap beyond actual physical impairment; and Transformation from Comparative Values to Asset Values, whereby a person does not compare him/herself to others, but is able to recognize personal strengths and abilities. Linkowski's ADS was an attempt to parallel these four shifts with a theory of acceptance of disability.
Contrast this with current trends since the latter 20th century and...