Blindness: Some Psychological and Social Implications

Abstract

Psychiatry must increase the knowledge of adjustment to various physical disabilities if it is to act in a strong consultant role to medicine and surgery. To this end, the study of one hundred and fourteen adventitiously, declared blind subjects was carried out through structured interviews and psychological and social adjustment measures. The variables were statistically analysed, using the F test, Duncan's Multiple Range test and Canonical Correlation Analysis. The best social function occurred in the youngest age groups, those who had the highest yearly income at the time of maximum life function and who entered rehabilitation. The best psychological and social function was found in those who had given up false hope of regaining vision. The group who had not given up this false hope did poorly on social and psychological adjustment measures and were generally unemployed, coped poorly and did not attend programs in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB). The onset of visual loss was found to be the time of greatest crisis, while declaration of blindness in itself led to no particular crisis with associated diminished social or psychological adjustment. Some concern is noted that the CNIB, the major caregiver for the blind, cannot offer assistance at onset because of the legal definition of blindness, and poor service may be furnished by family physicians, ophthalmologists and psychosocial helpers due to lack of understanding, shifting of responsibility and at times, neglect, assuming that the CNIB is assisting when they cannot or are not. More research is needed in all aspects of psychosocial care for the blind. Communicating among helping groups and with the CNIB is imperative if the visually handicapped are to get better psychosocial care.