Belonging from the perspectives of individuals with disabilities: A scoping review

Belonging is an individualized and complex phenomenon that is understudied among individuals with disabilities. Currently, there is an absence of voices of individuals with disabilities regarding their experiences and perspectives. This scoping review aimed to identify the extent, range, and nature of research on belonging from the experiences of individuals with disabilities between 1974 and 2020. Collectively, 4441 articles were screened and a total of 13 studies were extracted and fully reviewed. The authors present findings on variables related to belonging, positive influence of belonging, and barriers to belonging. Limitations and future research are discussed. Practitioner points Understand the historical context of isolation and belonging of individuals with disabilities in the United States. Describe the current state of the literature on belonging from the perspectives of individuals with disabilities. Identify ways in which research, policy, and/or practice can transfer to facilitate belonging