Well-being of people with disabilities

Enhancing Information Access and Promoting Self-Determination for People with Disabilities

This research project investigates how digitalization can improve access to information and promote self-determination, well-being and resilience of individuals with visible and invisible disabilities. Nowadays, technology has the potential to bridge the accessibility gap faster than ever, and to empower people with disabilities to build self-determination and resilience.

This project is a collaboration between the Clinical and Health Psychology Unit of Prof. Chantal Martin Sölch from the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and the Chair in European and Migration Law of Prof. Sarah Progin-Theuerkauf from Faculty of Law, both at the University of Fribourg.

Aims

This project aims to identify gaps in the of accessibility to information for persons with disabilities, especially in sensitive and legal contexts and evaluate innovative solutions to fill in those gaps using state-of-the-art technologies. By addressing those gaps, we seek to improve well-being, resilience, and self-determination for people with disabilities. A further aim was to investigate well-being of people with disabilities in Switzerland.

Methodologies

The project is interdisciplinary, with researchers from law, psychology and computer sciences. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches will be used to shed light on the needs of people with disabilities.

So far, data were collected anonymously through online surveys in French, German and Italian speaking Switzerland through collaboration with more than 100 social partners and associations to assess well-being, resources, satisfaction and needs for disability-related information, in general and in particular with regard to sexual rights, palliative care and advance directives and living adaptations.

In addition, focus groups, and qualitative interviews are planned to deepen the information gathered with the questionnaires to assess the accessibility of online information for informed decision-making, resilience and self-determination, examine the association between access to information and well-being and compare the impact on persons with disabilities.

The data gathered will inform potential interventions to enhance information accessibility using technologies like large language models (LLMs) or dedicated applications and will contribute to the development of a legal opinion.

Project team

Sofia Elisabetta Balzaretti

Senior Researcher


See profile

Publications and presentations

  • 1 peer-reviewed scientific article is in preparation
  • 1 bachelor and 2 master theses in psychology are ongoing
  • Pilot data were presented informally to social partners of the Canton Fribourg

 

Activities 

  • November 4, 2025: Workshop “Vivre en situation de handicap. Comment trouver la joie au quotidien et bâtir une société plus libre ?” by Alexandre Jollien, Philosopher

The research cluster is a collaboration with the social engagement of our project partner: