Questions

READING 1

Starting with the three theoretical perspectives discussed at the beginning of the unit (developmental, behavioural, cognitive), please consider the following questions. 

  • What theoretical perspective resonates most with you? Why? 

  • What theoretical model do you think might be most helpful/insightful to understanding and supporting individuals with disabilities. Why? 

Then consider the two models of disability that were described (medical and social) and consider the following questions. 

  • What model of disability most aligns with your thinking? Why? 

  • What model of disability do you think might be most helpful/insightful to understanding and supporting individuals with disabilities. Why? 

READING 2

CRITICAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Can medicine ever be truly "de-medicalized"? If disability is removed from medical oversight, who provides necessary healthcare for impairments?

Is the biopsychosocial model a genuine compromise or co-optation? Does it redistribute power or merely expand medical authority?

How does professional identity shape critique? Why were Albee and Wolfsberger (psychologists) dismissed while Engel (psychiatrist) was embraced?

What counts as "political" engagement? Is changing individual clinical practice political action?

How to balance universal claims (all disability is social) with particular experiences (my specific pain)?

What would "disability justice" in healthcare actually look like? Beyond ramps, how would medical decision-making power be redistributed?

ADDITIONAL RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Contemporary applications: How do these models play out in genetic counseling, chronic pain management, psychiatric deinstitutionalization?

Comparative analysis: How do different healthcare systems (single-payer vs. private) affect medical model dominance?

Pedagogical study: How are these models taught in medical vs. disability studies programs?

Generational shifts: Do younger disability activists view medicine differently than 1970s activists?

Technology's role: How do assistive technologies, telemedicine, AI diagnostics change medical-disability relations?

  • As advancements in technology reshape the landscape of healthcare, it's crucial to examine how these innovations impact both the treatment approaches and the empowerment of individuals with disabilities.

READING 3

CRITICAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

A. Theoretical Questions

  1. Are these truly distinct models or points on a continuum? Where do models like biopsychosocial or human rights fit?

  2. Power dynamics: How does each model distribute power between disabled persons, families, professionals, society?

  3. Cultural specificity: Is the moral model more salient in collectivist/religious cultures? Is the social model a Western construct?

B. Practical Implications

  1. Education settings: How would a teacher operating from each model differently accommodate a student with dyslexia?

  2. Clinical practice: How might a therapist's model affect treatment goals with a newly disabled client?

  3. Policy development: How would disability policy differ if drafted from each model's perspective?

C. Personal Reflection

  1. Self-assessment: Which model(s) do you operate from in different contexts (e.g., professional vs. personal life)?

  2. Model flexibility: Can/should people consciously shift models depending on situation?

  3. Integration challenge: How to balance medical needs (medical model) with civil rights (social model) with meaning-making (moral model)?