Physiological and Social Aspects of Empowerment of Disabled

Empowerment of persons with disabilities is understood as an attempt to enable persons with disabilities to control  their own lives in all areas. Empowerment  as a process and a result is closely related to the psychosocial human categories: self-regulation, perceived self-capacity, self-confidence, self-esteem, which enable the humans to assert themselves in the society. These personality features can be developed in persons with disabilities through adapted physical activity and the use of specific psychological and pedagogical knowledge (Sherrill, 1995, 1998, Adomaitienė and others, 2003). As the integration process in the progresses, it is very impotant to evaluate the adaptive behaviour of persons with disabilities, which can be described as independence, adaptability, social and emotional maturity. Studies have shown that some form and degree of  disability can lead to the occurrence of depression and can affect the quality of life persons with disabilities. However, few studies have been done, and the forms and degrees of disability are very diferent, so, the research revealing the occurrence of depressive states and their control, changes of quality of life in different disabilities are expedient. Scientists (Fetterman and others, 1996) state that the features of the  disabled persons are  not enough in oder to be able establish themselves in the society. Efforts of the swociety and the state are necessary to create equal rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities in all spheres of social life. Therefore research on the social policy in relation to persons with disabilities, demonstrating their social status, rights and opportunities in the society, are new relevant.

One of means that can speed up the process of empowerment of persons with disabilities is adapted physical activity (Sherrill, 1998).  The authors argue that people with disabilities, participating  in sports activities, assess themselves and their capabilities better are more self-reliant (Oliver, 1986; Sherrill, 1998; DePauw, Gavron, 1995).  However, there is lack of  research and it is not clear what kind of measures are effective in improving physical psychosiocial status of persons with different disabilities.

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