Rehabilitation+Psychology

** REHABILITATION PSYCHOLOGY **
 * Rehabilitation Psychology ** is a clinical specialty of Psychology that focuses on helping individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Individuals that can benefit from Rehabilitation Psychology usually suffer from the following ailments: spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's Disease, cancer, diabetes, amputation, Alzheimer's Disease, orthopedic injury, learning disability, pervasive developmental disorders, vision and hearing impairment, arthritis, and pain syndromes. Since its focus rests on assisting individuals in coping with chronic and traumatic illnesses, the purpose of Rehabilitation Psychology is to maximize health, welfare, independence, cognitive and physical functional abilities, restoration of hope, and social role participation across the patient’s lifespan.

The scope of the Rehabilitation Psychology field is large and examines areas that deal with cognitive, neuropsychological, developmental, affective and physical impairment. Thus, it addresses both the body and the mind. The work of a rehabilitation psychologist helps disabled individuals integrate socially in their community, develop behavioral control and coping skills, build self-esteem and self-efficacy, overcome affective decline and many other unfavorable symptoms associated with their disability.

Some specifics questions this particular slice of clinical psychology aims to answer are: how does physical disability affect one’s personality and social integration; what are some practical and valid ways to assess intelligence or depression in a person that is cognitively disabled; how does culture and social environment affect rehabilitation; does an inverse psychosomatic relationship exist between physical disabilities and mental processes; and many more. What's more, rehabilitation psychologists aim to answer any questions that link physical disability to psychological matters.

Rehabilitation Psychology was established as Division 22 of the American Psychology Association in year 1958. Among the founders of the organizational predecessor of Division 22, were Jane Shover and Phyllis Bartelme. Jane Shover and Phyllis Bartelme were employed by a charitable organization called the National Society of Crippled Children and Adults (NCCA). This organization started in Ohio in year 1919 and later became known as “Easter Seals”, a charitable organization that has helped and continues to help disabled children today. Edgar Allen founded the NCCA in an attempt to help children with disabilities because they were often hidden from public view and inadequately cared for. Edgar Allen was inspired to do so after losing his young son to a streetcar accident. Later on, the need to help war veterans amplified the demand for rehabilitation psychology.

Thus, the branch of psychology emerged as Rehabilitation Psychology in year 1958 and was presided by Frederick A. Whitehouse. Furthermore, Beatrice Wright was the first to publish under the division of // Psychology and Rehabilitation // in year 1959. Division’s 22 journal was called // Rehabilitation Psychology // and had Lee Myerson as one of its first contributors. Dembo, Leviton, and Wright (1956-1975) were the pioneering researchers of Rehabilitation Psychology and worked with veterans that had amputated limbs or were otherwise disfigured. They examined how their disability was affecting them and their significant others on a psychological level. Dembo et al. were also the first to coin the term somatopsychology, which refers to the way in which apparent changes in physical appearance and function due to disability impacts the self and others on a psychological level.

Other notable names include: Barker, Wright, Myerson, & Gonick, 1953 who worked on psychological adjustment to physical disability; and Beatrice Wright, 1983 who wrote a classic textbook in the field of psychology of disability, // Physical Disability – A Psychosocial Approach //.

On a more contemporary note, Rehabilitation Psychology has played a major role in the passing of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. The division continues to develop its interests and broaden its scope to include pediatric and gender related rehabilitation.   //References//

//APA division 22//. (2010, February). Retrieved from http://www.div22.org/ Cuesta, G. (2006). //Rehabilitation psychology//. Retrieved from http://www.neuropsychologistwestchester.com/rehabilitation_psychology.htm //Easter Seals: About Us: Experts on disability and special needs.// (2010, February). Retrieved from http://www.easterseals.com/site/PageServer?pagename=ntl_wwa_we_are Larson, P., & Sachs, P. (2000). //A history of division 22// [pp. 33-58]. (Adobe Digital Editions version), Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ //Rehabilitation Psychology//. (2010, February). Retrieved from http://www.findcounseling.com/glossary/rehabilitation-psychology.html