Hidden but heard

In this dissertation, I investigated the disclosure decision-making process that people with invisible disabilities (PWID) navigate when disclosing their disabilities, using a mixed-methods approach. Of the mixed methods designs, I employed sequential exploratory design using two phases. I began my investigation with a rigorous review of the historical underpinnings and previous conceptualizations of disability. Following this review, I conducted the first phase (qualitative), which informed the development of the second phase (quantitative; Creswell & Plano, 2017). In Study 1, I employed cognitive interviews to assess widely used disclosure-related survey measures. During my analysis, I identified a range of response errors related to comprehension, recall, judgment, response process, and accessibility. These findings demonstrated how impairments shaped cognitive processes when completing surveys and underscored the need to refine measurement tools for disability-related research.