Conceptual Models of Disability and Their Role in the Daily Routine of Clinical Rehabilitation

The aim of this paper is to analyse how the different conceptual models of disability can help daily work of rehabilitation clinicians. Previous papers described the usefulness in rehabilitation psychology of the International classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) a worldwide-known conceptual model of disability [1-6] In this paper, we describe how other conceptual models could be useful for rehabilitation clinicians [7-8]. A Narrative review of the literature on conceptual models of disability was undertaken. Based on a previous history of Conceptual models of disability in the 20° century, we describe four groups of models and their impact on rehabilitation: models that analysed the role of pathology, models that analysed the relationship between pathology and its consequences, models that emphasized the role of the environment, and models that analysed the relationship between person and environment. In the daily routine of rehabilitation psychology and in general in rehabilitation sciences, as in the theoretical analysis, one can choose one or another of these options, although the history of the conceptual models of disability shows that the fourth option is the most advanced and the most worldwide-recognized (thanks to the ICF). As for rehabilitation clinicians, the awareness of the chosen option can help in understanding the focus of intervention and to modify it. The main aims of this process is to transform the disablement process into a positive one by which the person can be enabled.