Psychosocial characteristics of literate blinds: a study.

ABSTRACT

Blindness leaves a person in a state of physical, psychosocial and economic dependence. Aberrant mental attitudes and even frank mental illnesses can develop among the aged blinds. The present study shows that acceptance towards their disability was much higher (in 68.75% cases) among the aged blinds in group 'A' (mean age 42.2 years) than the younger student (in 47% cases) in group 'B' (mean age 17.6 years) All the younger blinds were found to be optimistic for their future but the level for this mental attitude among older subjects was relatively lower (in 68.75% cases). The aberrant mental attitude like rejection, guilt and aggressiveness which reflected negative attitude towards life were more prevalent among students. Older blinds were found to be relatively more shameful for their disability (in 43.75% cases). The negative attitude towards life was evaluated to be present among 12.5% cases in group 'A' and among 76.5% cases in group 'B'. Anxiety and depression were the mental illnesses evaluated among blind and were displayed by 6.25% and 0% cases in group 'A' i.e. the group of teachers and trained workers and in 35.3% and 43.7% cases among group 'B' i.e. the group of blind students respectively. Aberrant mental attitudes have shown no definite relation with the age at the onset of blindness or otherwise they appeared to change with age.