Social psychological aspects of blindness: A review

A detailed review of the literature concerned with the social and psychological aspects of blindness is presented. In particular, emphasis is placed on the areas of blindness in children, personal and social adjustment to blindness, attitudes to blindness, and communication in the adult blind. Many of the problems created by blindness, for example in communication between blind and sighted people, are outlined. These problems are shown to have implications for the integration of the blind person into a sighted society, for the coping and adjustment of the blind, and for the attitudes of the sighted. Unfortunately, much of the available evidence is based on anecdotal or biographical material or on clinical case reports and observations. A case is made for carefully controlled investigations into the social and psychological aspects of blindness. The paper concludes with a consideration of current developments.

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