A Study on Factors Affecting Life Satisfaction of Community-Dwelling, Post-Institutional, Independent Living Disabled People: A Mixed Method Approach

Background and Purpose: The key to independent living for people with disabilities is to enable them to restore and enjoy a normal life on their own. Recently, South Korea has been emphasizing community-centered protection of the disabled through deinstitutionalization. Above all, changes in the welfare system for the disabled will be meaningful only when they focus on the daily lives of individual disabled people. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the factors influencing the life satisfaction of community-dwelling disabled people who have moved from residential facilities to the community and become independent from their own perspectives.

Method: This study was conducted using mixed research methods. In particular, in the first stage, explanatory design was used to collect quantitative data, and in the second stage, qualitative data was used to explain the quantitative data collected in the first stage (Creswell & Clark, 2007). First, factors affecting the life satisfaction of people with independent disabilities, including health status, income, social network, self-esteem, and housing conditions, were investigated using quantitative research methods, and data analyses were conducted using a regression model. In addition, through individual in-depth interviews, the factors affecting their life satisfaction were investigated through semi-structured questions, and the data collected in this way was analyzed through thematic analysis. A total of 40 disabled people living in the community who became independent from facilities over the past three years were included in quantitative analyses, while 12 qualitative interviews were analyzed.

Results: Quantitative results showed that the income (β=.432, p=.004), housing conditions (β=.388, p=.011), and self-esteem (β=.283, p=.099) were confirmed as significant factors, and the regression model was found to explain 40.5% of the variance in their life satisfaction of independent disabled people in the community. Through qualitative analysis, three overarching themes were identified as follows. First, providing them with 'an independent residence in the community' provided them with life satisfaction as it expanded the range of choices they could enjoy in their daily lives. Second, 'stable income' served to expand opportunities for leisure and cultural activities. Third, as opportunities for independent decision-making increased, 'self-esteem' also increased.

Conclusions and Implications: The results of synthesizing qualitative and quantitative analysis on the life satisfaction of disabled people who have become independent in the community were as follows. First, after living independently in the community, if an appropriate residence or stable income is provided, not only will the opportunities for one's choices expand, but their independent awareness and attitude will also increase. In addition, it was confirmed that this independent attitude gradually increased their self-esteem, which in turn increased their life satisfaction. Based on the results of this study, policy or practical suggestions will be presented for disabled people who have become independent in the community.