The editors have attempted to examine the psychological aspects of the problems that accompany the various physical disabilities. In having done so, they have emphasized, justly, the individual adjustment of the disabled person to his physical deficit and his total life situation.
The presentation comprises 12 groups of physical disabilities, each presented by a different author. Amputation, hemiplegia, cerebral palsy, and cardiovascular disabilities are considered, as are auditory, visual, and language disorders, and deafness and blindness. Also, there are chapters on cancer, facial disfigurement, severe chronic illness, and arthritis and rheumatism. The most prominent problems connected with a disability, but not limited to it, are discussed.
The selection of disabilities to be considered was made on the basis of incidence in the population, difficulty of psychological appraisal and of vocational rehabilitation, and the availability of psychological literature on the subjects. Since all of the contributors are recognized figures in the