A Qualitative Study on the Influence of Riding on the Identity Construction of People with Disabilities

Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to examine the influence of riding on the identity construction of people with disabilities. The fifteen participants, three men and twelve women, were between fifteen and sixty-five years old and have various physical disabilities. The data analysis derives from identity theory, a social-psychological theory that understands identity as an interaction between the individual and society. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were used to examine the influence of riding on the identity construction of people with disabilities. The fifteen participants, three men and twelve women, were between fifteen and sixty-five years old and have various physical disabilities. The data analysis derives from identity theory, a social-psychological theory that understands identity as an interaction between the individual and society. The findings show that (i) the informants either acquire a new identity as a rider or they resume with the rider identity they had before their illness or accident; (ii) riding offers a link to their previous lives; and (iii) riding helps to focus on what the informants can do, and not, as this group is often viewed by society, on what they cannot do. The findings thus show that riding can influence the identity construction of people with