The attitudes of Belgian adolescents towards peers with disabilities.
This study aimed to explore Belgian adolescents' attitudes towards peers with disabilities and to explore factors associated with these attitudes. Based on the theory of persuasive communication, this study focused on receiver variables (the "whom"), characteristics of students with disabilities ("concerning who") and channel ("how"). An online survey was created and published on several popular websites for youngsters. Attitudes were assessed by means of the CATCH questionnaire among 167 adolescents between 11 and 20 years old. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Belgian adolescents had fairly tolerant attitudes towards peers with disabilities. Factors associated with more positive attitudes were being female, and viewing a video introduction of a peer with a disability before assessing attitudes. Factors such as having a parent, sibling or good friend with a disability and frequent contact with persons with disabilities did not remain significant in the overall model. The way in which students with disabilities are presented to their peers is very important. Further research is needed among larger samples, including more diverse variables, concerning the former mentioned categories, and also concerning the source (the "who") and message (the "what").
Parenting and Special Education Research Group, School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, Katholieke Universiteit, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 2, Box 3765, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. goele.bossaert@ped.kuleuven.be
Goele
G
Bossaert
Hilde
H
Colpin
Sip Jan
SJ
Pijl
Katja
K
Petry
D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001530:Belgium; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003625:Data Collection; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012918:Social Alienation; D055815:Young Adult