The impact of perceived social support and social exclusion on the quality of life of individuals with disabilities: A moderation analysis

Abstract

Social exclusion is one of the factors that negatively affect the quality of life of people with disabilities. If these people do not feel that they receive social support, the problem may deepen. This study aims to examine the role of perceived social support and social exclusion in influencing the quality of life. The study included 577 individuals with disabilities aged 18-65 residing in Turkey. Data were collected through both face-to-face and online methods. The questionnaire prepared by the researchers consisted of a descriptive characteristics form comprising 13 questions (age, gender, education level, marital status, employment status, place of residence, family type, number of people in the family, income status, percentage of disability, type of disability, onset of disability), the Turkish version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale for Disabilities (WHOQOL-DIS-TR), the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MPSSS), and the Social Exclusion Scale for Disabled Individuals (SESDI). The results indicated that decreased social exclusion (β = 11.11, t = 12.75, p < 0.001) and increased perceived social support (β = 8.83, t = 10.12, p < 0.001) significantly and positively influenced the quality of life. Moreover, the perceived social support had a moderating effect in reducing social exclusion levels and increasing the quality of life by 2.45 times (95%CI: 0.93-3.96). Among the covariates in the model, being male (β = 4.62, t = 2.60, p = 0.010), having an increased income level (β = 6.10, t = 3.24, p = 0.001), and being employed (β = 3.18, t = 2.84, p = 0.005) were found to improve the quality of life. According to the results of the study, social support programs should be developed in addition to reducing social exclusion in order to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities.

Keywords

• Social exclusion
• Social support
• Quality of life

References

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