Attitudes of Croatian Citizens Towards Children with Disabilities

Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati stavove prema djeci s teškoćama u razvoju te razlike u pojedinim aspektima stava (socijalna distanca, osjećanje i ponašanje u blizini djeteta s teškoćama u razvoju) s obzirom na sociodemografske karakteristike sudionika, iskustvo u kontaktu s djecom s teškoćama te razinu znanja o problematici. Istraživanje je provedeno na reprezentativnom uzorku punoljetnih građana RH (N=600) metodom telefonskog anketiranja. Građani RH imaju izrazito pozitivne stavove prema djeci s teškoćama: 86% sudionika se osjeća donekle ili potpuno ugodno u njihovoj blizini, 93% ostvaruje kontakt pri konkretnom susretu, a 70% ih izjavljuje da nema nikakvu socijalnu distancu prema djeci s teškoćama. Žene se, u odnosu na muškarce, osjećaju ugodnije u njihovoj blizini. Osobe nižeg obrazovanja i starije dobi izražavaju veću socijalnu distancu, ali stariji sudionici pri kontaktu otvorenije pristupaju djeci s teškoćama. Znanje se pokazalo važnom odrednicom stava prema djeci s teškoćama u razvoju, pri čemu sudionici s najmanje znanja imaju najizraženiju socijalnu distancu, doživljavaju najveću razinu neugode pri susretu s djecom s teškoćama te rjeđe ulaze u kontakt ili ga iniciraju. Poznavanje djeteta s teškoćom pozitivno se odrazilo na afektivnu i ponašajnu komponentu stava. Nalazi ovog istraživanja upućuju na prihvaćanje djece s teškoćama u razvoju u našem društvu te ističu ulogu znanja i kontakta u borbi protiv stigmatizacije ranjivih skupina.The study aimed to investigate attitudes towards children with disabilities and differences in attitudes depending on the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents, their previous experience in contact with children with disabilities and their level of knowledge on the subject. The research was conducted on a representative sample of adult citizens of the Republic of Croatia (N = 600) using the telephone interview method. The results show that adult citizens of Croatia have an extremely positive attitude towards children with disabilities: 86% of participants feel somewhat or completely comfortable in their proximity, 93% of participants make contact, and 70% of participants state that there is no social distance from children with disabilities. Women feel more comfortable around them compared to men. Individuals with lower education and older age express greater social distance, but older participants have a more open approach to children with disabilities. Higher levels of knowledge were associated with more positive attitudes toward all components. Knowing a child with disabilities positively affected the affective and behavioural components of the attitude, while (not) having a child with difficulties in the family was not related to any component of attitude. The results of this research show that children with disabilities are well accepted in our society and highlight the role of knowledge and contact in combating the stigmatisation of vulnerable groups