Children's and adults' attitudes toward deaf people

Abstract

The paper deals with social attitudes of the respondents without a disability toward deafe people. This topic is one of the leading issues within the social model of disability. This model considers hearing disability as socially determined. The aim of this paper is the assessment of possible age differences in attitudes toward deaf people. The study sample (N = 322) is divided by age of respondents, in the sub sample of children (N = 100) and the sub sample of adults (N = 222). Attitude scale toward deaf persons has been designed as an instrument for this research, in two modified versions (children and adults). Test results show statistically significant differences between children and adult respondents, in terms of attitudes towards deaf persons (-3.458). Children have less positive attitudes than adults. For a more complete clarification of the attitudes, its complexity and possible inconsistencies in the expression, quantitative and qualitative analysis of AM (Arithmetic Mean) and SD (Standard Deviation) were conducted for each item on the attitude scale. The results were discussed and interpreted taking into account the characteristics of developmental periods (childhood, adulthood) in which respondents are located which the respondents belong to. Based on research, conclusions were adopted made about the relationship between age and attitudes of respondents, especially about the relationship between age and the ways of expressing attitudes toward deaf persons. Based on these findings, recommendations for practice were given.

Rad se bavi socijalnim stavovima ispitanika bez ometenosti prema gluvim osobama. Ova tema predstavlja jednu od aktuelnih u okviru socijalnog modela ometenosti koji slušnu ometenost tretira i kao socijalno determinisanu. Cilj rada je utvrđivanje razlika u stavovima dece i odraslih ispitanika prema gluvim osobama. Uzorak je podeljen prema uzrastu ispitanika na poduzorak dece (N=100) i poduzorak odraslih ispitanika (N=222). Kao instrument je korišćena Skala stavova prema gluvim osobama, konstruisana za potrebe ovog istraživanja, u dve različite verzije (za decu i odrasle ispitanike). Rezultati t-testa pokazuju da se deca i odrasli ispitanici, statistički značajno razlikuju u pogledu stavova prema gluvim osobama (-3,458). Odrasli ispitanici imaju pozitivnije stavove od dece. Radi što potpunijeg osvetljavanja stavova ispitanika, naročito njihove složenosti i eventualne nekonzistentnosti u ispoljavanju, sprovedena je i kvantitativna i kvalitativna analiza. Rezultati istraživanja su diskutovani i tumačeni uzimajući u obzir osobenosti uzrasta. Na osnovu istraživačkih nalaza doneti su zaključci o vezi uzrasta i stavova ispitanika, a naročito o vezi uzrasta i načina ispoljavanja stavova prema gluvim osobama. Na osnovu ovih zaključaka date su preporuke za praksu.