Isolation and the mastering of anxiety in physically handicapped children and adolescents

The detailed exploration of 50 physically handicapped children and adolescents and the evaluation of the results with the help of biography-near rating procedures according to Thomae have produced numerous significant connections. A central theme of the living world of these children can be seen in the social isolation, the dismay about a restriction in the social life circle. The children and adolescents react predominantly to such an isolation with resistance strategies. Whereas in normal everyday life the attribution of responsibility to others, aggression and depression determine the attitude, in the school area playing down and illusion formation, distraction and rationalization are predominant. In the family, depressive-resignative reactions determine the physically handicapped child's responses, just as in leisure time. Finally, in the area of the handicap, if it is perceived in connection with the reaction of social isolation, the most depressive-resignative, attributing responsibility to others, psychophysical and rationalizing ways of reaction occur. In all, an adequate mastering of the handicap is greatly impaired by social isolation.