The Relationship Between Stress, Disability Acceptance, and Quality of Life of People With Physical Disabilities in South Korea: Focused on the Psychosocial Adaptation Model

Psychosocial adaptation is important for individuals with disabilities as they strive for optimal quality of life (QOL). However, studies applying the psychosocial model in South Korea are limited. Our study especially focused on identifying the relationship between stress, disability acceptance, and QOL among people with physical disabilities. Stress by disability can act as an antecedent event and a risk factor, while disability acceptance serves as a process that promotes positive QOL within the framework of the psychosocial adaptation. So, this study investigates whether disability acceptance mediates the relationship between stress and QOL in South Korea. The study used the 2021 Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled in Korea data. A total of 1,872 participants (68.9% male; M = 50.02 years) were included. Results from the regression model through PROCESS Macro in SPSS revealed that disability stress is partially negatively related to QOL. The indirect path of stress, disability acceptance, and QOL was also significant, indicating that disability acceptance is a significant mediator of the relationship between stress and QOL. Especially, individuals with physical disabilities who experience high levels of stress on their disabilities are more likely to have a lower QOL. This association is partially due to decreased disability acceptance. This study is significant because it applied the psychosocial adaptation model to individuals with physical disabilities in South Korea, providing empirical validation of its effectiveness. The results suggest that disability acceptance plays a crucial role in partially lowering the negative impact of stress on QOL for individuals with physical disabilities.