Introduction: It is believed that an individual is disabled not because of his or her physical handicap,but because of the physical barriers prevalent in our society, The present study was undertaken by the investigator for identifying the self-concept of adolescents with orthopaedic impairment with a view to develop and evaluate guidelines for teachers to improve the self-concept of adolescents with orthopaedic impairment. Methodology: The sample for the study comprised of 60 adolescents with orthopaedic impairment and 30 teachers working in institutes for physically handicapped selected through purposive sampling technique and total enumeration technique, respectively. The Conceptual framework of the study as based on Stuart Stress Adaptation model related to self-concept responses. Structured questionnaires were used to assess the selfconcept of orthopedically impaired adolescents and knowledge of teachers regarding self-concept of the adolescents. Results: The study revealed that majority of the adolescents with orthopaedic impairment had  average level of self-concept. The intellectual selfconcept was found to be the most affected area out of all other (i.e moral, educational, temperamental, social and physical) areas of self- concept; but there was no significant relationship between level of selfconcept and variables, viz; age, gender and cause of orthopaedic impairment in adolescents with orthopedic impairment. Maximum numbers of subjects’ i.e.65% were from the age group of 17-19 years. The major cause of orthopaedic impairment in majority of the subjects (53%) was illness such as polio. In the second part of the study, guidelines developed for improvement of self- oncept of adolescents with orthopaedic impairment were effective asevidenced from knowledge gain by teachers.   

Key words: Self-concept; Adolescent; Orthopaedic impairment.