Training Materials: Enhancing Self-Esteem: A Self-esteem Training Package for Individuals with Disabilities

 Enhancing Self-Esteem: A Self-esteem Training Package for Individuals with Disabilities
 Nick Hagiliassis and Hrepsime Gulbenkoglu, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
 ISBN 1843103532, £29.95

 STAR RATING: 3/5

Healthy self-esteem is widely viewed as critical to the psychological well-being of us all. The authors believe – and many others will agree – that healthy self-esteem is particularly relevant to disabled people, writes Carolien Thollebeek.

The book is designed for adults with physical and multiple disabilities and is most suitable for people with a mild intellectual disability or severe communication impairment or both.

As the package includes pictographic symbols accompanied with easy-read text material, it appears to me that people who are able to express themselves orally, may feel that some aspects of the book are too simplistic.

This training material has a strict order, while in some cases a more flexible approach might be of more use. I am not convinced that all people with communication impairment can benefit from the book, as people with autism might not recognise some pictures of facial expressions.

The book might be an interesting starting point for further discussion as it will probably raise more questions than answers.

Carolien Thollebeek is a masters student in orthopedagogics (study of disability, emotional and behavioural disorders and addictions) at Ghent University, Belgium