An Affirmative Model Insight: Social Support as Dynamic of Social Exclusion among Women with Disabilities in Kohat Division Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan

Abstract

This study examines how social support, interpreted through the Affirmative Model of Disability, shapes the extent of social exclusion experienced by women with disabilities in the Kohat Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey of 370 proportionally selected respondents, data were collected with the support of district Social Welfare Offices and senior oral instructors to ensure accurate interpretation for participants with auditory and verbal impairments. The study focused on women with physical, auditory, verbal, and stature-related disabilities, excluding those with intellectual impairments due to concerns about response reliability. Reliability analysis yielded a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.87, indicating strong internal consistency. Chi-square tests and Kendall’s Tau-b statistics revealed a significant association between social support and social exclusion (χ² = 13.073, p = 0.000; Tb = 0.188), with social support becoming increasingly critical for older women. Findings show that inadequate support structures intensify exclusion, affirming that marginalization stems not from impairment itself but from social, attitudinal, and structural shortcomings. The study recommends enhanced community awareness, institutional strengthening, and affirmative social practices to reduce exclusion among women with disabilities.