The relationship between self-disclosure, attributional style, and life outcomes for persons with physical disabilities associated with independent living centers in New York State

The purpose of this study was to explore and clarify relationships among self-disclosure, attributional style, and life outcomes for persons with disabilities. The data for the study have been collected by surveying persons with physical disabilities who have established relationships with local Independent Living Centers. The research focused on self-disclosure and attributional style as predictors of the life outcome variables of loneliness and satisfaction with meaningful activities. A sample of 100 adults with physical disabilities, residing in New York State, were surveyed. The instruments administered included the Jourard's Self-Disclosure Questionnaire, Attributional Style Questionnaire, the UCLA Loneliness Scale (Version 3), and Meaningful Activity Satisfaction Survey. Self-disclosure was significantly and negatively related to loneliness. In addition, Self-disclosure related significantly and positively to satisfaction with meaningful activities for the sample of participants who reported a robust social network, but not for participants who reported a less robust social network.; Attributional style demonstrated a significant and negative relationship with loneliness and related significantly and positively to satisfaction with meaningful activities.; When both self-disclosure and attributional style were considered together in the prediction of loneliness, only self-disclosure emerged as a significant predictor of loneliness. These relationships remained unaffected when a variety of demographic variables were controlled. When both self-disclosure and attributional style along with a number of demographic variables were considered simultaneously, only the demographic variable of residential setting (ie. rural or urban community type) emerged as a predictor of satisfaction with meaningful activities. None of the disability specific variables including onset of disability, length of time living with a disability, self-perception of the visibility of disability or the likelihood of disability specific self-disclosure related significantly to loneliness or satisfaction with meaningful activities. Implications for theory, practice, research and policy are discussed.