The impact of individual characteristics in self-esteem and locus of control of young adults with visual impairments.

Konstantinos (2014) asked 108 young adults with visual impairments to fill out two short surveys. One measured self-esteem. The other measured locus of control—how much they feel in charge of their own lives.

The team also wrote down each person’s vision status, age when they lost sight, how recently they lost it, and how well they move around alone. Then they ran numbers to see which facts best predicted the scores.

People who lost vision earlier in life had higher self-esteem. Those who could travel alone—cross streets, take buses—also felt better about themselves and scored more internal on the locus scale.

More school years added a small boost to self-esteem. Vision status itself mattered too: total blindness versus low vision changed both outcomes.

Bassett-Gunter et al. (2017) found that adults with ID, autism, or Down syndrome who made more daily choices were more likely to hold paid jobs. Both papers link personal autonomy—moving alone or choosing freely—to better life outcomes.

Vakil et al. (2012) showed older adults with Down syndrome move less well than younger peers. Konstantinos flips the lens: among young adults with visual loss, earlier skill building (like early O&M training) predicts stronger mind-set, hinting that early motor independence matters across disabilities.

Geurts et al. (2008) clustered older adults with ID by self-defined health themes instead of doctor checklists. Likewise, Konstantinos used self-report scales, not clinician ratings, to capture self-esteem and control—showing the value of listening to clients’ own voices.

If you serve clients with visual impairments, start mobility training as soon as possible. Early travel skills build self-esteem and an internal locus of control that last. Ask clients how much choice they feel they have, then add real choices into daily programs—both steps are low cost and high impact.