지체·시각·청각장애인의 표상과 자기인식 : 중년 장애인 포커스그룹인터뷰 질적분석

초록

This study explores representations and self-perceptions among mid-life persons with physical, visual, and hearing impairments in Korea. We conducted qualitative Focus Group Interviews with six cross-classified groups by gender and impairment type (physical: 5M/4F; visual: 5M/5F; hearing: 4M/4F). Findings indicate that persons with physical impairments are predominantly represented as “wheelchair users,” implying a broad category requiring assistance; however, non-gait physical impairments are often socially unrecognized. Persons with visual impairments are represented as “white cane users,” with contested boundaries between total blindness and low vision, and women reported safety concerns and asymmetric power leading to avoidance of cane use. Persons with hearing impairments are represented as “Deaf signers,” while internal distinctions among Deaf signers, oral communicators, and hard-of-hearing persons reveal dual experiences of marginality in both hearing and Deaf communities. Across impairment types, core representations and their boundaries shape inclusion/exclusion dynamics, with boundary-positioned individuals experiencing heightened alienation. The study highlights gendered effects (notably in visual impairment), and suggests representational shifts, clearer institutional criteria, and refined accessibility/safety policies to foster intra-group cohesion and disability–nondisability integration.

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