“It’s harder to set boundaries when it’s so obvious”: Disclosing observable disabilities.

Disclosure research has largely focused on invisible stigmatized identities, assuming that, for people with visible stigmas, there is no need to “disclose the obvious.” However, people with observable disabilities do face disclosure decisions, precisely because their disabilities are observable. Pressure to disclose--from staring and intrusive questions --threatens disclosure autonomy. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT)—which posits basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness—this study investigated the influence of antecedent factors on disclosure autonomy, disclosure processes, and ultimately, well-being. In the first study of disclosure among people with diverse observable disabilities, semi-structured interviews with 25 adults with observable disabilities (e.g., mobility disability, blindness, deafness) explored non/disclosure experiences. Directed qualitative content analysis supported a model indicating that context (e.g., setting, access needs), disability factors (observability, type), and personal factors (intersecting identities) impact perceived disclosure autonomy, approach vs. avoidance motivation, and disclosure depth. In turn, these processes relate to well-being outcomes, including satisfaction of SDT needs. Threats to disclosure autonomy were common, with participants feeling compelled to disclose due to access needs or intrusive questions. Autonomous disclosure was associated with positive outcomes like competence and belonging, while compelled disclosure was linked to distress. Findings underscore the need for systemic changes, including universal design, to reduce the burden of compelled disclosure. This study advances theory by providing the first disclosure model in psychology to include the experiences of people with observable disability. Future work will examine potential causal pathways within the proposed model and assess how it might extend existing disclosure frameworks.