Psychological Capital Challenges for Students with Disabilities in Open Distance eLearning Institutions Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the challenges affecting the mental health of students with disabilities, especially within open distance eLearning (ODeL) institutions. Students who were already facing obstacles to their participation in learning continued to encounter additional difficulties with online instruction during the pandemic. Inclusive education experts have identified significant disparities in access to quality inclusive education, including notable learning gaps among students with disabilities and those facing health-related hardships. A narrative review of literature published between 2020 and 2024 was conducted through rigorous searches of four bibliographic databases: Google Scholar, the Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Scopus, and Web of Science (WoS). The primary objective was to enable a qualitative thematic analysis of the psychological capital challenges faced by students with disabilities in ODeL settings within higher education following the COVID-19 pandemic. The articles were imported into Covidence, screened, and relevant data were extracted. Themes were subsequently developed using narrative synthesis. The research is grounded in an integrated conceptual framework that draws on psychological capital and disability studies to enhance students’ mental health and academic achievement. The findings indicate conceptual patterns and theoretical tensions rather than empirical outcomes—a distinction that is crucial for justifying the author’s scholarly contribution. These tensions underscore the need for more targeted research to inform evidence-based interventions. The study emphasises the urgency of implementing structured support initiatives, such as resilience training and goal-setting workshops, to strengthen students’ confidence, adaptability, and sense of belonging in ODeL environments.