Self-other overlap: A unique predictor of willingness to work with people with disability as part of one’s career

Background: People with disability (PWD) often rely on others, both for direct support and for the creation of enabling environments to meet their needs. This need makes it crucial for professionals to be willing to work with PWD, and for people to pursue careers that focus on supporting PWD. Objectives: To explore self-other overlap as a unique predictor of willingness to work with PWD as part of one’s career, using three studies. Methods: Studies 1 and 2 used cross-sectional surveys of college undergraduates to explore: 1. whether an association between self-other overlap and willingness to work with PWD exists, and 2. whether self-other overlap is a unique predictor, controlling for attitudes and empathy. Study 3 investigated whether self-other overlap is associated with the groups with whom the students indicated they want (and do not want) to work as part of their career. Results: Across the three studies, self-other overlap was uniquely associated with students’ willingness to work with PWD as part of one’s profession, even when controlling for attitudes and empathy. Conclusions: Self-other overlap may be an important additional factor to take into consideration when developing interventions targeted toward promoting working with PWD.