Characteristics of children' s attitudes towards persons with hearing impairment

Abstract

This study deals with children's social attitudes towards persons (children) with hearing impairment. The research was conducted on a larger sample, and subsamples of children (N-100) were divided according to several criteria. Attitudes of children were compared with the attitudes of adults. Findings indicate that children have less tolerant attitudes toward this group of people, which was interpreted by their less conformist behavior, and less tendency toward giving a socially desirable response. Better students have more tolerant attitudes than the poor students. Children who live closer to school for the deaf, and who have frequent contacts with deaf children, have more tolerant attitudes than those who live away from school for deaf and hearing impaired. Research findings illuminate the specifics of children's attitudes towards persons with impaired hearing, and are a valuable indication of the circumstances that are present in regular education. The findings may provide useful guidance in creating programs that would lead the creation of more tolerant attitudes towards this group of people.

Ovaj rad bavi se izučavanjem dečjih socijalnih stavova prema osobama (deci) oštećenog sluha. Istraživanje je sprovedeno na većem uzorku, a poduzorak dece (N-100) bio podeljen no nekoliko kriterijuma. Stavovi dece su poređeni sa stavovima odraslih. Nalazi pokazuju da deca ispoljavaju manje tolerantne stavove prema ovoj grupi ljudi, što je tumačeno njihovim manje konformističkim ponašanjem, te manjom sklonošću ka davanju društveno poželjnih odgovora. Bolji učenici imaju tolerantnije stavove od lošijih učenika. Deca koja žive bliže školi za gluve, koja imaju frekventnije kontakte sa gluvom decom imaju više tolerantne stavove od one koja žive udaljeno od škole za gluve. Istraživački nalazi osvetljavaju specifičnosti dečijih stavova prema osobama oštećenog sluha i vredan su pokazatelj okolnosti koje su prisutne u redovnom obrazovanju. Nalazi mogu dati korisne smernice u kreiranju programa koji bi vodili stvaranju tolerantnijih stavova prema ovoj grupi ljudi.