In other words, when it comes to disabilities, the biological and the social work together in the creation and understanding of disability, as well as who should be responsible for the care of the disabled or impaired. This is not to say that disabilities do not have a biological, physiological, neurological, or physical reality but, rather, that “neither impairment nor disability can be defined in purely biomedical terms, because social arrangements and expectations make essential contributions to impairment and disability” (Wendell 1996: 57). Social scientists and disability advocates further refer to disabilities as socially constructed. Typically we think of disability as related to the physical body first and foremost but disability scholars remind us that cognitive and/or mental disabilities affect individuals as much as any physical impairment can.
This impairment or impediment could be physical, cognitive, or emotional. Shildrick (2002) and other disability scholars suggest that we should think of a “disability” as an “impairment.” That is, broadly defined, a disability is typically something that impedes one’s ability to navigate their social world and relationships, or participate fully in society. In this special issue, we offer a selection of articles that highlight cognitive (often invisible) disabilities and mental health, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Dementia due to aging, learning disabilities, and child abuse. Family researchers of disability have often focused on how physical (visible) disability affects family life and family wellbeing. Articles featured in Volume 17 of Michigan Family Review focus on issues faced by families when a member, or members, have disabilities.
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