Psychosocial issues of women with physical disabilities: The continuing gender debate

Rehabilitation and disability-related research has only recently begun to examine the complex interaction of gender and disability. Women with disabilities experience the double impact of being female and disabled. As women, they have greater risks of psychosocial health problems than do men. As persons with disabilities, they may be even more vulnerable to these gender disparities; for example, compared to women in general, women with disabilities report higher rates of depression and stress. This article describes a new and promising body of research. We offer evidence that corrects any misunderstandings held by rehabilitation specialists that the psychosocial experiences of women with disabilities can be explained by research conducted on men with disabilities or women in general. Clinically and empirically based gender-driven recommendations are offered for research and practice.