Person-First Philosophy in Therapeutic Recreation: Embracing Differences and Challenging Attitudes

1. chapter4 Person-First Philosophy in Therapeutic Recreation Mary Ann Devine, PhD, CTRS

2. Learning Outcomes • Describe the person-first concepts related to people with disabilities • Explain the role of person-first terminology as it relates to reflecting a person-first philosophy • Discuss the issues of multidimensionality of barriers relative to a person-first philosophy • Explain the role of attitudes toward people with disabilities as they relate to embracing differences • Identify the factors that influence one’s attitude toward people with disabilities • Describe various philosophical models of service delivery and their relationship to therapeutic recreation

3. Who Is the Person With a Disability? • Stereotypes or labels • Problems with stereotyping or using labels • Positive uses of labels • Provide appropriate care • Provide access to resources and accommodations • Provide program enrollment • Legal definition of disability from ADA (1991) • Person-first language • Focus on person, not disability • Difference between disability and handicap

4. Person-First Philosophy • Values of person-first philosophy • Each person has different qualities. • Uniqueness is a positive attribute. • All persons have the potential to grow and develop as human beings. • Different ways to incorporate person-first terminology • Written and oral communication • Behavior toward the person with a disability

5. Person-First Terminology • Words are important. • Use respectful language. • Place the person before the disability. • Convey respect through words. • Avoid words such as special or challenged. • Don’t treat adults with disabilities as children.

6. Multidimensionality of Barriers • A number of causal factors • Constraints and limitations due to environmental barriers • Built environments • Program designs • Staff training • Attitudes

7. Using Person-First Philosophy • Modeling empowerment • Serve as change agents • Promote the dignity and rights of others • Challenge myths and stereotypes • Teaching skills for empowerment • More independent and interdependent in leisure • New ways of thinking about leisure • Leisure education using the leisure ability model (Stumbo and Peterson, 2004) • New recreation skills • How to make leisure choices • How to use community resources

8. Social Inclusion • Definition • Sharing common experiences • Valuing participation by all individuals • Providing support for participation • A sense of belonging to a group • Lack of social acceptance more limiting than architectural or program barriers

9. Least Restrictive Environments • Adaptations made only when evidence shows the person with a disability needs assistance to function • Adaptations based on individual’s strengths and limitations • Unnecessary adaptations can restrict the environment and impede functioning. • As skills increase, adaptations may not be needed. • Example: Phoebe (page 56)

10. Interdependence • Definition • Relationships of cooperation and reciprocity among all participants and staff • Way to accomplish desired goals and objectives • Example: painting a wall mural

11. Attitudes Toward PeopleWith Disabilities • Historical consequences • Create change or be a major barrier • Segregation and discrimination • Heroization for living with disability • Neutral attitude • Feelings of invisibility • Looking past or through the person with a disability • Focus on disability first, not person

12. School influence Segregate children with disabilities Teach other children that peers with disabilities don’t belong with them Family influence Feel blessed not to have a disability Having a disability makes you less of a person Peer influence Sense of belonging; going along with group behaviors Perception of superiority Leisure influence Segregate recreation and leisure programs Skills performed differently are inferior and less enjoyable Advertising influence Disqualification from a full life Disqualification from enjoyable recreation Influence of Institutions on Attitudes

13. Influence of Language on Attitudes • Language as a gauge • Gauge of our beliefs • Vivid pictures of our stereotypes • People as objects • Placing people with disabilities in a category • Terms like the blind, the retarded, or the disabled • People are things or objects • Using them and us language: differences, not similarities • Language as a mirror of our attitudes

14. Influence of Laws on Attitudes • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) • Declares that all students with disabilities have a right to a free and appropriate public education • Influences services as well as attitudes • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) • Requires private and public organizations to include persons with disabilities in all aspects of service and access • Has a great effect on society as a whole • Laws address behaviors, not attitudes • New generation growing up with inclusion • Change in attitude?

15. Service Delivery • Social reform: keep children off the streets • Medical model • Variation of physical norms creates a disadvantage for securing quality of life. • It is the responsibility of society to cure disabilities. • Recreation is seen as therapy. • Social model • Disability is the result of social discrimination. • Those who don’t meet societal norms are assumed to be inferior and subject to social exclusion. • Therapeutic recreation advocates for the rights of people with disabilities. • Ecological model • People and environments are interconnected. • Changes in one affect the other.

16. Discussion Questions • How can labels be detrimental to people with disabilities? • What characteristics legally constitute a person with a disability according to the ADA? • A foundation of person-first philosophy is the belief that each person is unique and that his or her uniqueness is a positive attribute, not a negative one. In your own words, describe what this means. • In what ways is social inclusion an important component of recreation participation for individuals with disabilities? • Identify and discuss the two primary components of a least restrictive environment. (continued)

17. Discussion Questions (continued) • In the story of Phoebe, you learned of two ways to make her environment least restrictive. Identify other ways that would reduce the restrictiveness of her environment. • What suggestions can you provide that could foster a positive attitude toward Phoebe’s participation in her community? • What effect have the ADA and IDEA had on the inclusion of people with disabilities in community life? • How does the social model of disability differ from the medical model of disability?