The Development and Validation of the Ableist Microaggression Scale

Approximately 20% of U.S. residents are currently living with a disability. Ableism values a specific type of physical, mental, and/or emotional capital as well as supports socially constructed expectations of ability, valuing these expectations over different types of ability and disability. One way in which ableism is perpetuated is through microaggressions, or acts of aggressions that occur at the more interpersonal-or micro-level. Microaggressions are everyday interactions that perpetuate inequalities and stereotypes against people who belong to marginalized communities. Experiencing multiple microaggressions has been referred to as "death by a thousand paper cuts," indicating the severity of the sum total of these casual types of prejudice and oppression. Research demonstrates that experiences of identity-related microaggressions can negatively impact mental health outcomes, increase somatic symptoms, and increase negative affect. This mixed methods study explores how to measure ableist microaggressions by developing the 65-item ableist microaggression scale using qualitative interviews with stakeholders (N = 13) and a nationwide survey in the United States (N = 984).