STAFF REPORTER
MUSCAT, FEB 24
Students with disabilities at Sultan Qaboos University experience a high quality of life in the campus premises, a research study found. The study offers valuable insights to support the university’s ongoing efforts to enhance services and provisions for students with disabilities.
It recommends strengthening appropriate sporting, social and cultural activities tailored to students with disabilities, particularly those with sensory impairments. It also calls for similar exploratory studies in other higher education institutions to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the needs of students with disabilities in university life.
The quantitative study of Dr Khawla bint Hilal al Maamari from the Department of Psychology at the College of Education, SQU, sought to assess the Quality of Life (QOL) of students with disabilities at the university using the World Health Organization’s WHOQOL-BREF instrument. Data were collected from 35 students with physical, hearing and visual impairments.
The findings indicate that participants reported high levels of satisfaction across the psychological, social and environmental domains within the university. The physical health domain, however, reflected a moderate level of satisfaction. Psychological well-being scored relatively highly overall. Notably, students with physical disabilities reported a higher overall quality of life compared with their peers with visual and hearing impairments.
Gender-based analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in quality of life between male and female students. However, statistically significant differences were identified according to the type of disability in both the physical and psychological domains, with students with mobility impairments reporting higher scores.
Sultan Qaboos University annually welcomes dozens of students from various disability categories and takes pride in having graduated more than 170 students with disabilities over the past decade. Through its Department of Student Affairs for Students with Disabilities, the university provides comprehensive logistical, technical and psychological support aimed at ensuring their full integration into university life without barriers.
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