Psychological well-being and disability: a comparison among university students

Introduction. The presence of students with disabilities in universities has increased in recent years; however, studies about the psychological well-being of this group are still scarce. The objective of this research was to ascertain and analyze the degree of psychological well-being in university students with disabilities and compare them to a sample of students without disabilities. Method. A prospective ex post facto design with a control group was applied to a sample of 182 students, 72 with disabilities and 110 without disabilities. The Spanish adaptation of the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale was administered. Results. Both groups have mid-range scores on the overall scale; however, statistically significant differences were observed between the groups, both in the global score in psychological well-being and in four dimensions of the scale: Positive relations, Autonomy, Environmental mastery and Personal Growth. Discussion and conclusions. This study contributes new data in an unexplored area. We discuss key aspects for the development of strategies that address psychological dimensions in this group using an inclusive approach, in the university context.