Relationship adjustment and quality among sexual minority persons with disabilities.

The World Health Organization's (WHO's) 2001 International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) has as one of its central tenets the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in society. It acknowledges the need for medical and rehabilitation intervention in its biopscychosocial framework. However, the WHO realizes that society must do its part to facilitate this full participation and empowerment. Persons with complex communication needs (PWCCN) often need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in order to express themselves. However, in order to access and successfully use AAC, PWCCN need access to the necessary AAC devices and services, as well as a willing society to interact with them as full contributing members of society. The factors outside of a person's specific physical and/or cognitive functional limitations are addressed in the ICF via the Personal and Environmental Factors. Personal Factors include the individual's personality traits, lifestyle, experiences, social/educational/professional background, race, gender, and age. Environmental Factors include community support systems, social service agencies, governments, social networks, and those persons that interact with the PWCCN. This article addresses the sociopolitical influences on PWCCN and their functioning from a human rights perspective. The necessary introspective role of speech-language pathologists in this process is explored.

Download Full-text

Suicide Risk Among College Student

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000340 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 416-423 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Richard Shadick ◽

Faedra Backus Dagirmanjian ◽

Baptiste Barbot

Keyword(s):

Sexual Minority ◽

Students Of Color ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

First Year ◽

Chi Square ◽

First Year College ◽

Marginalized Groups ◽

First Year College Students

Abstract. Background: Research on young adults in the general population has identified a relationship between sexual minority identification and risk for suicide. Differential rates of suicidal ideation and attempts have also been found across racial and ethnic groups. Aims: This study examined risk for suicide among university students, based on membership in one or more marginalized groups (sexual minority and racial minority identification). Method: Data were collected from first-year college students (N = 4,345) at an urban university. Structural equation modeling was employed to model a suicidality construct, based on which a "risk for suicide" category system was derived. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were then conducted to estimate the relationship between the background variables of interest and suicide risk. Results: Students who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) were associated with higher suicide risk than their heterosexual peers. Students of color were slightly less at risk than their heterosexual peers. However, LGB students of color were associated with elevated suicide risk relative to heterosexual peers. Conclusion: Results indicate that belonging to multiple marginalized groups may increase one's risk for suicide, though these effects are not simply additive. Findings highlight the complexity of the intersection between marginalized identities and suicidality.

Download Full-text