Social Impacts of Labelling Students with Physical Disabilities on Classroom Management in Delta State Universities

Abstract This study examined the social impacts of labelling students with physical disabilities on classroom management in universities in Delta State, Nigeria. Guided by three research questions, the study sought to identify the forms of labelling commonly experienced by students with physical disabilities, examine the social impacts of such labelling on classroom management, and determine the social challenges students face within classroom settings as a result of labelling. A descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to students with physical disabilities, their peers and lecturers across three (3) selected universities. The study population comprised 767 respondents (669 undergraduate students and 98 lecturers); a stratified sample of 200 participants was drawn (28 students with physical disabilities, 122 peers without disabilities, and 50 lecturers). Data were collected with a researcher-developed 15-item instrument, titled: Social Impacts of Labelling and Classroom Management Scale (SILCMS), a five-point Likert questionnaire (SA–SD). The instrument’s face validity was confirmed by specialists in Special Needs Education and Educational Psychology, and a pilot test (n = 30) produced a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.82. Trained research assistants administered the questionnaires. Analysis used descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation) with a decision rule of mean ≥ 3.00 = acceptance. The results revealed that students with physical disabilities frequently experience forms of labelling such as stereotyping, name-calling, and negative categorisation, which significantly undermine their academic and social participation. Findings further showed that labelling negatively affects classroom management by increasing social isolation, reducing peer acceptance, and creating behavioural and emotional difficulties for labelled students. In addition, students with physical disabilities reported experiencing lowered self-esteem, diminished sense of belonging, and strained interpersonal relationships due to persistent labelling within the classroom. Based on these findings, the study recommended regular sensitisation programmes for lecturers and students to discourage discriminatory practices among other. The study concluded that addressing the adverse effects of labelling is critical for promoting inclusivity, improving classroom management, and ensuring equitable participation of students with physical disabilities in university education.