This paper examined the psychological challenges and school adjustment of undergraduates with physical disabilities in Rivers State owned universities which are Rivers State University, Port Harcourt and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni. The paper adopted a correlational research design and was guided by three research questions and three corresponding hypotheses. The aim of the paper was to determine the relationship between psychological challenges and school adjustment of undergraduates with physical disabilities in Rivers State owned universities. The population comprised of twenty-five (25) undergraduates with physical or mobility impairment. Hence, the population and the sample size are the same, the sampling technique adopted was the census sampling technique or block sampling technique. The instrument of data collection was a self-developed questionnaire which was validated by three experts in Special Education, Psychology as well as Measurement and Evaluation. The reliability of the instrument was obtained using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and a co-efficient of 0.85 obtained. The research questions were answered and hypotheses tested using Pearson Product Moment Correlation at 0.05 level of significance. The results on the test on hypotheses revealed that there is significant negative relationship between anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and scholastic adjustment of undergraduates with physical disabilities in Rivers State owned universities. The paper recommended among others that the university administration should give more time to undergraduates with physical disabilities to complete and turn in assignments and examination because of the strain their disability puts on them
Citation: Adiela O.N.P. (2023) Psychological Challenges and School Adjustments of Undergraduates with Physical Disabilities in Rivers State Owned Universities, European Journal of Educational and Development Psychology, Vol.11, No.1, pp.20-36
Keywords: disability, psychological challenges, right-based theory of disability, scholastic adjustments, undergraduates with disabilities
