Attitude Change in Primary and Secondary Education Students following their Interactive Cooperation with Disabled Youth: A Pilot Intervention Program
Athens, June 2015
The current pilot study is an initiative of SKEP- Association of Social Responsibility for Children and Youth. The study was conducted in cooperation with the National and Kapodistrean University of Athens- Department of Psychology and Mrs. Frosso Motti - Stefanidis, Professor of the Psychology Department. The survey was conducted in alphabetical order by: Doulkeroglou Alkyoni (Data Collection), Lemisiou Miselina-Athina (author & research supervision), Papadaki Mary (data collection), and Pateraki Matilda-Anna (author & statistical data analysis).
Abstract
Negative attitudes towards people with disabilities stem from a lack of knowledge concerning disability as well as lack of opportunities for interaction with disabled people. The main purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of adolescents without disability towards disabled people and the level of discomfort they report when they interact with them. The questionnaires of Self-Esteem, Big Five Personality as well as the scales of Attitudes towards Children with Handicaps and Interaction with Disabled People, were administered to a sample of (N = 296) high school students from both public and private schools. The results showed significant improvements in attitudes and the level of discomfort reported after the completion of the program. The findings emphasize the importance of interaction and the implementation of such programs to combat discrimination and arbitrary prejudice.
Methodology
Participants
The total sample consisted of 296 students of whom 31% were boys and 69% were girls. The average age of high school students was 16.34 from public and private school within the Attica area. The majority of students who participated were Greek 94.6%, while only 5.4% were children of immigrants. Regarding the educational level of the children’s father and mother, the majority of both had graduated from higher education institutions (66.9% and 72.6% respectively).
Procedure
The data collection took place during the “Finger Prints” program, from February to March 2014. The program consisted of 5 four - hour (9.00 - 13.00) interactive artistic and athletic workshops. “Finger Prints” has been organized by SKEP on a yearly basis for the last 7 years.
The “Finger Prints” program is conducted under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs. The Ministry has approved student participation from elementary and secondary schools in the interactive workshops of SKEP, for the academic year 2011-12 until today.
The data collection process was as following: Students from different general education schools gathered at the new wing of the Vorres Museum to participate in all the Experiential and Interactive Workshops, together with youth with disability (motor, intellectual, sensory) from special schools and institutions. Prior to the workshops’ commencement, students from mainstream schools were given the above questionnaires as well as a demographic questionnaire. Students were informed about the process of completing the questionnaires and encouraged to ask any question concerning the process or the questionnaires.
Students’ participation was voluntary and emphasis was given on the anonymity and confidentiality of participants' responses. After completing the questionnaires, all participants (students from general education schools and young people with disabilities) participated in the following interactive artistic and athletic workshops that occur simultaneously: T-shirt Painting, Sculptures (an artistic intervention where students’ hands are molded in plaster), Collage Techniques, Tape Art and Bocce (played in unified teams). At the same time, open discussions conducted by SKEP’s motivational speakers (youth with disability) took place in order to inform and raise awareness among participants.
Following the completion of the workshops and open dialogue, the questionnaires of Attitudes towards Children with Disability and Interaction with Disabled People were re-administered.
Findings
Press here to see the detailed findings.
Conclusions
Numerous surveys abroad and in Greece, as well as our own pilot intervention program have demonstrated that the interaction of vulnerable social groups with mainstream students is key to altering attitudes and behavior regarding diversity and disability. The results showed significant improvements in attitudes and the level of discomfort reported after the completion of the program. The findings emphasize the importance of interaction and the implementation of such programs to combat discrimination and arbitrary prejudice. It is, however, evident that just one interaction is not enough.
Establishing systematic programs of familiarization with disability is the means towards an integrated approach to change, aiming at deconstructing stereotypes of prejudice and promoting inclusion of disabled youth in everyday life.
SKEP’s Pilot Research Findings
