Psychological Well-being and Disability: A Comparison Among University Students

Abstract

Introduction. The presence of students with disabilities in universities has increased in recent years; however, studies about the psychological well-being of this group are still scarce. The objective of this research was to ascertain and analyze the degree of psychological well-being in university students with disabilities and compare them to a sample of students without dis-abilities. Method. A prospective ex post facto design with a control group was applied to a sample of 182 students, 72 with disabilities and 110 without disabilities. The Spanish adaptation of the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale was administered. Results. Both groups have mid-range scores on the overall scale; however, statistically sig-nificant differences were observed between the groups, both in the global score in psycholog-ical well-being and in four dimensions of the scale: Positive relations, Autonomy, Environ-mental mastery and Personal Growth. Discussion and conclusions. This study contributes new data in an unexplored area. We dis-cuss key aspects for the development of strategies that address psychological dimensions in this group using an inclusive approach, in the university context.