LIFE SATISFACTION OF PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL-DISABILITIES - RELATIONSHIPTO PERSONAL ASSISTANCE, DISABILITY STATUS, AND HANDICAP

To understand how physical disability affects life satisfaction, the p resent study focused on possible moderating factors that are associate d with those conditions and with life satisfaction. Three possible mod erating factors were investigated: (1) level of disability, (2) level of handicap, and (3) self-appraised adequacy of personal assistance. A sample of 45 persons with a variety of physical disabilities who use personal assistance was given the Life Satisfaction Index - A, selecte d subscales from the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale, the Craig Han dicap Assessment and Report Technique, and a 19-item measure of person al assistance satisfaction. There were significant positive correlatio ns between life satisfaction and both handicap and personal assistance satisfaction. Life satisfaction and degree of disability were not sig nificantly correlated. There was no interaction between disability and personal assistance satisfaction with respect to either life satisfac tion or handicap. Results are discussed in terms of Diener's ''bottom- up'' theory and the complex array of factors that contribute to person al assistance satisfaction.