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Self Esteem and Adjustment:

Psychosocial Aspects of

Blindness and Visual ImpairmentBased on

Self-Esteem and Adjusting to Blindness

By Dean and Naomi Tuttle

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Blindness

Blindness physiolo!ical and psychosocial

Physical

Etiolo!y Dia!nosis

Prescription

Pro!nosis

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Blindness " continued

Psychosocial # parts

Indi$idual Needs and Desires

Physical and Social En$ironment %ommon %onceptions of Blindness

There is no uni&ue psycholo!y of 'lindnessand no special personality attri'uted to

indi$iduals (ho are 'lind

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Sociolo!ical Implications

) The &uality and characteristics of the social

interaction 'et(een a 'lind and a si!htedperson are determined 'y the capacities

and attitudes of each*

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Sociolo!ical +ENE,A-ITIES

Tendencies not a'solutes" persons (iththe condition of 'lindness may 'e

Immature and E!ocentric" for lon!er

periods Isolated and .ithdra(n

Passi$e and Dependent

Inade&uate Social ,ole /odels Deal (ith predominately ne!ati$e attitudes

to(ard 'lindness

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Demands of -ife

0eys to meetin! life1s demands Self" Esteem

%ompetence "%an 'e measured 'y

%omparin! oneself (ith others socialcomparison"can 'e positi$e or ne!ati$e 2utcome 'ased Positi$e

Process 'ases " Ne!ati$e

%omparin! (ith your o(n past performance 3sin! separate standard solely 'ased on the

'asis of $isual impairment

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Influences on Self"Esteem

Needs are uni$ersal

4ood and Shelter

-o$e and Belon!in! ,esponsi'ility and Producti$ity

Self Acceptance and Self"Esteem

Each impact an indi$idual1s self esteem andself concept

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Self Esteem

Is defined as55

A person1s sense of $alue and self (orth

Sense of competency and ade&uacy Sense of self satisfaction

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Self Esteem Interrelationships

Attitudes of others

Beha$ior Beha$ior (of individual w/ VI) (of others)

Self %oncepts

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/ore Interrelationships

Attitudes of others

Beha$ior Beha$ior62f persons (ith VI7 6of others7

Self concept

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Blindness and %hallen!es to Self

Esteem

Self esteem is effected 'y the e8tent there is lac9

or loss of

Independence in personal mana!ement

Tra$el

,eadin! and (ritin!

Vocational opportunities

,ecreation

The impacts of these issues can 'e temporary or

lon! lastin!

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Blindness and %hallen!es to Self

Esteem

Persons (ith Ad$entitious Visual Impairment

may

;a$e feelin!s of helplessness ation Self"Acceptance and Self"Esteem

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Trauma

This it e$ent that causes the need foradjustment

4or the indi$idual (ith con!enital

'lindness it may 'e the a(areness of'ein! different or a(areness of 'ein! 'lind

4or the indi$idual (ith ad$entitious

'lindness it may 'e the e$ent 4or 'oth it may 'e from ha$in! to deal (ith

social sti!mas and attitudes

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Shoc9 and Denial

4eelin!s of

3nreality

Detachment

Dis'elief

A$oidance

Denyin! the e8istence of the trauma

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/ournin! and .ithdra(al

+rie$in! o$er the !lo'al loss of $ision

/ournin! o$er 'ein! different

Self"pity .ithdra(in! from family and friends

A $ery lonely time

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Succum'in! and Depression

4ocusin! on and analy>in!? one 'y one?each percei$ed loss ,eal or ima!ined losses

Temporary or not This is the )I can1t* or )I (ill ne$er 'e a'le to*

phase

4eelin!s of dou't are common 'utunchec9ed this can lead to se$eredepression

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,eassessment and ,eaffirmation

,e"e$aluatin! the meanin! of life and the

purpose for li$in!

/ay in$ol$e reassessment and or re$ision

of

Values

+oals

,esult is a reaffirmation of one1s self and

one1s life

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%opin! and /o'ili>ation

Desire dri$es actions

De$elopment of strate!ies

De$elopment of copin! s9ills %opin! (ith realities of the condition of

'lindness

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Self"Acceptance and Self"Esteem

Esteem as a person (ith di!nity and (orth

Personal $ie( as an indi$idual (ith may

characteristics one of (hich is 'lindness

Bein! comforta'le (ith themsel$es