Community attitudes towards children and adults with disabilities

Prema Zakonu osoba s invaliditetom je osoba koja ima trajno ograničenje, smanjenje ili gubitak sposobnosti izvršavanja neke fizičke aktivnosti ili psihičke funkcije primjerene životnoj dobi, nastale kao posljedica oštećenja zdravlja. Termini za prikladno oslovljavanje osoba s invaliditetom kroz povijest se mijenjaju jer je društvo imalo netolerantan stav prema djeci i osobama s invaliditetom. Stavovi su vrlo složen proces koji se velikim dijelom zasnivaju na iskustvu. Stoga, ukoliko ih se želi mijenjati, potrebno je stvarati uvjete u kojima će doći do interakcije djece ali i osoba s invaliditetom s djecom i osobama bez teškoća. Djeca s teškoćama u razvoju u odgojno obrazovnim skupinama predstavljaju izazov za djecu bez teškoća, učitelje, odgajatelje ali i roditelje. Djeci s invaliditetom potrebno je omogućiti da tijekom predškolskog i školskog obrazovanja stječu znanja i vještine pod istim uvjetima kao i njihovi vršnjaci, time će biti socijalno uključeni, a i stavovi okoline će se pritom mijenjati, biti pozitivniji. Također, stavlja se naglasak na integraciju i inkluziju u kojoj djeca s teškoćama u razvoju počinju prihvaćati i cijeniti sebe, lakše započinju interakciju s ostalom djecom. Djeca time imaju motivacije za rad, te pridonose boljim odnosima među djecom bez teškoća. Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati stavove opće populacije o djeci i osobama s invaliditetom, potom analizirati postoje li razlike u stavovima prema djeci i osobama s invaliditetom u odnosu na različite socio-demografske karakteristike ispitanika, odnosno utječu li dob, spol, razina obrazovanja i osobno iskustvo s djecom i osobama s invaliditetom na stavove ispitanika. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 670 sudionika, od čega 659 žena i 11 muškaraca. Dobiveni rezultati pokazuju pozitivne stavove usmjerene prema djeci i osobama s invaliditetom, no potrebno je još mnogo truda i volje kako bi većina populacije pokazala veći senzibilitet i razumijevanje potreba djece i osoba s invaliditetom.According to the Law, a disabled person is a person who has a permanent limitation, reduction or loss of ability to perform some physical activity or mental function appropriate to its age, as a result of a health damage. Acceptable terms for people with disabilities have changed throughout history as society has had an intolerant attitude regarding children and other people with disabilities. Attitudes are a very complex process that is mostly based on experiences. Therefore, if they are to be changed, it is necessary to create conditions in which the interaction between disabled children and other disabled people with children and people without disabilities, will occur. Children with difficulties in their development, present a challenge for children without disabilities, teachers and educators in educational groups, as well to their parents. Children with disabilities need to be enabled to acquire knowledge and skills during pre-school and school education under the same conditions as their peers, thereby being socially involved, which will lead to change in environmental attitudes, by them becoming more positive. Also, emphasis is placed on integration and inclusion, in which children with disabilities begin to accept and appreciate themselves, more easily begin interacting with other children. Therefore, children have motivations for work and contribute to better relationships between them and children without disabilities. The aim of the study was to examine the attitudes of the general population on children and other people with disabilities, and then analyze whether there are differences in attitudes towards children and other people with disabilities regarding different socio-demographic characteristics of the examenees, and whether age, gender, level of education and personal experience with children and other people with disabilities affect their views and attitudes. The study involved 670 participants, of whom 659 were women and 11 were men. The results show positive attitudes towards children and other people with disabilities, but much more effort and willpower is required for the majority of the population to show greater sensitivity and understanding of the needs of children and other people with disabilities