[The effects of wheelchair dependency on the self-concept (author's transl)].

The article studies the question whether the self-concept of wheelchair-bound people - as described in a personality questionnaire (Freiburg personality inventory) - differ from that of the non-disabled and other disability groups, and to what extent. The study was performed on 297 wheelchair-bound persons and corresponding reference samples. There was evidence that differences between these groups are existent. The way wheelchair-bound people describe themselves indicates mechanisms developed to compensate for reduced self-acceptance. Furthermore, the study results argue in favour of psychological training methods to be applied in the rehabilitation of this disability group and the development of appropriate measuring instruments.