Social Stigma Among Persons with Learning Disabilities: A Review for Social Work Research and Practice
摘要
From a psychiatric standpoint, Learning Disability, characterized by scholastic difficulties, is typically evident in early schooling. It encompasses various developmental conditions stemming from biological factors and environmental deprivation. Persons with disabilities frequently face stereotypical harmful societal discrimination that hinders their engagement and sense of belonging in schools and communities. As defined by the World Health Organization (A guide to preventing and addressing social stigma associated with COVID-19, https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/a-guide-to-preventing-and-addressing-social-stigma-associated-with-covid-19, 2020), stigma, marked by shame and disapproval, leads to rejection and exclusion, becoming a pivotal factor in shaping the experiences of peripheralized populations. This pervasive issue of such stigmatic gaze holds profound implications, mainly when considered from the perspective of humans with hidden disabilities such as a Learning Disability and from the associated stakeholders. The chapter highlights, in particular, the scope and trends in disability studies focusing on social stigma faced by persons with Learning Disabilities.