A review of Swedish research efforts on the Swedish Disability Act (1993:387) and how it affects supported persons power over their own lives.

Ingress

Sweden represents a well-developed welfare state and The Swedish Disability Act (1993:387) was implemented in the early 1990's. The costly ambitions formulated in this Act have partly been legitimatized by arguments linked to empowerment.

SDA aims to ensure that people with disabilities can lead their lives under the same conditions as others. It is claimed that supported persons should, as far as possible, be in charge of how support efforts is decided, planned and executed. Put differently, SDA should empower its target group.

This study aims to review Swedish research on SDA during the last fifteen years, focusing its empowerment functions. To what extent are persons with disabilities in charge of support efforts, and how is this described and discussed in research?

Type of data

The review includes thesis, journal articles, books, research reports and government reports on SDA during 2000-2015, presented in Swedish or English. Texts are selected, read, compiled and analyzed from an empowerment perspective, based on the target group´s possibilities to take part and decide about support efforts.

Result and analyze

Results from the study embraces 1) the quantity of research conducted on SDA in Sweden, 2) how SDA is described and analyzed within existing research, 3) how SDA is understood in relation to empowerment, and 4) how empowerment is executed within the context of efforts based on SDA.

Tentatively, SDA is well studied in Sweden, primarily within a disability research context. In this, empowerment is often mentioned, but seldom analyzed/theorized. In this study, learnings as well as lack of knowledge are identified, and more research focusing SDA in relation to empowerment, theoretical as well as empirical, is called for.

References

Börjesson, M. och Karlsson, M. (2011) Brukarmakt i teori och praktik. Stockholm. Natur och Kultur.

Engwall, K. (2001). Asociala och imbecilla. Kvinnorna på Västra Mark 1931-1967. Örebro Universitet. Avdelningen för humaniora.

Evers, A. och Guillemard, A-M. (2013). Social Policy och citizenship (kap 10, Lars Trädgårdh och Lars Svedberg; The Iron Lag of Rights: Citizenship and Individual Empowerment in Modern Sweden).

Hardy, C och Leiba-O´Sullivan (). The Power Behind Empowerment: Implications for Research and Practice