Self-concept of Chilean University Student with Diabilities. Differences by Gender

This study aimed to determine the existence of differences in the self-concept of Chilean university students with visual or motor disabilities face university without it; to know whether there were differences in some (s) of the dimensions of the self-concept according to disability (visual or motor) presented and analyze the differences in the self-concept based on gender and the presence of disability. The sample consisted of 80 participants (39 students with disabilities and 41 non-disabled), belonging to various degrees and Universities in the Bio Bio region. The instruments used were the scale AF5 (Garcia & Musitu, 1999), which assesses five dimensions of the self-concept (academic, social, emotional, family and physical) and a document with sociodemographic variables. Different MANOVA were performed, showing first that university students with disabilities have a physical self lower than their peers without difficulties. Analyzing the gender variable in the group of students with disabilities, higher scores were found in the academic/labour dimension in women compared to men. Finally gender was analyzed in relation to the disability (visual or motor), finding differences in academic dimension in women with visual disabilities; in the case of university students with physical disabilities, no differences were found.