Subjective quality of life: conceptual and empirical relationships with the components of disablement

Ten published studies based an 11 distinct samples of people with various physically disabling conditions were reviewed from the standpoint of reported relationships between subjective well-being (subjective quality of life) and specific aspects of impairment, disability, and handicap. In general, subjective well-being was consistently related to various aspects of handicap and almost as consistently to aspects of disability. Directionally, the relationships indicated that more severe handicap and disability were associated with lower levels of subjective well-being. Insufficient data were available to assess relationships involving impairments.