The stigma of disability: Croatian experiences

The aim of this paper is to get an insight into understanding the stigma of disability based on the experience and perception of people with disabilities and professionals who work with them.

Qualitative research methods were used with two focus groups: one with people with disabilities (five participants) and other with professionals (seven participants). After data were collected, a qualitative content analysis was made.

The results indicated that participants perceived and experienced stigma of disability through intrinsic and extrinsic elements of stigmatization. The intrinsic elements refer to the feeling of being different as a result of negative attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes. The extrinsic elements derive from the relationship of the system towards people with disabilities: discrimination and labelling. Some of the major findings of this research are that the stigma of disability is shown through the inability of the people with disabilities to make their own decisions, the perception of the disability as the main feature of the person, the lack of criteria during education, perceiving disability as a precondition in choosing a partner and parental capability, parents' decision-making about their children's lives, overprotection and stigmatization in education and employment. Stigmatization leads to social exclusion and influences the quality of life.

The stigma of disability is manifested through the impossibility of realizing basic human rights, of living life independently and of taking equal part in a local community.