- The valuing of certain traits and abilities over others
- Ableism occurs due to cultural and societal norms and can manifest as ableist language, inaccessible public transport, difficulty in accessing and utilizing services, and the idea that people with disabilities are “brave” simply for living in the world

Ableism

- Making jokes about a disability as a person without the disability, “helping” someone perceived as disabled without permission, and assuming people with intellectual/learning disabilities are incapable of completing school are just a few examples of ableist microaggressions

How Ableist Microaggressions Occur

- Microassaults include avoiding particular groups of people, name calling, and the use of slurs. Anything that is done to intentionally hurt someone falls into this category.
- Microinsults include saying or doing something that seems innocuous but is actually very rude: such as “you’re attractive for a (insert disabled identity)” or “you’re very well spoken for a (insert disabled identity)”. These comments are often unrecognized as insultive by the person saying them.
- Microinvalidations take away from a person with a disability’s struggle and experience such as saying their disability isn’t all that bad compared to someone else’s disability or situation in life or implying affirmative action is the only reason a person got their job. This form of ableism is often the most implicit form and thus harder to recognize. 


Examples of Microassaults, Microinsults, and Microinvalidations

- Originally coined in response to instances of racism but has since expanded to include sexism, homophobia, ableism, transphobia, and xenophobia 
- There are three proposed types of microaggressions: microinsults (unintended and unrecognized), microassaults (intentional and discriminatory), and microinvalidations (discredits the realties and experiences of people who hold marginalized identities

University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Individuals with a disability experience many types of ableism in their daily lives: one type being microaggressions. Disabled adults who experience microaggressions regularly have lower mental health quality, increased negative affect, and higher somatic symptoms. These microaggressions sustain stereotypes and discrimination against marginalized groups. 

Ableist Microaggressions and the Mental Health of Disabled Adults

Kattari, S. K. (2020). Ableist microaggressions and the mental health of disabled adults. Community Mental Health Journal, 56(6), 1170–1179. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00615-6 

Ableist Microaggressions and the Mental Health of Disabled Adults Reference

Origins of Microaggressions

- The discussion about disability can be complex because certain mental disorder diagnoses can be considered a disability while others are considered comorbid conditions with another disability
- Despite this, research shows that people affected by their disability report higher rates of anxiety and affective disorders


Disability and Mental Health

- Sexist microaggressions can cause mental health issues in women, racial microaggressions impact the mental health of people of color, and homophobic microaggressions negatively correlate with the mental health of LGBTQ+ individuals; however, no studies specifically aimed at studying the impact of ableist microaggressions existed until recently
- Research has shown a significant relationship between ableist microaggressions and poorer mental health and are a concern for all people with disabilities

Microaggressions and Mental Health

It is important to recognize that microaggressions can heavily impact an individual’s mental health. Counselors, social workers, human service professionals, and therapists can use this information to give better mental health services to adults with a disability. There is no way for any one person to get rid of ableism, but simply acknowledging its existence can go a long way in reducing stigma. 

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