Attitudes Of Nonhandicapped Community College Students Toward Handicapped Individuals

Author : Joseph G. Esposito
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 108 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (143 download)

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Download or read book Attitudes of Third-year College Students Toward Individuals with Disabilities written by Joseph G. Esposito and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine differences in attitudes towards people with disabilities of third-year college students enrolled in health care majors and non-health care majors. BACKGROUND: A person's perception of a person with a disability may directly affect the quality of care that a person with a disability may receive. Language affects how people are perceived. Using person-first language can perpetuate positive attitudes towards individuals with disabilities. SUBJECTS: One hundred and eighty-nine third-year Springfield College students enrolled in a major served as subjects. Demographics such as age, sex, major, religion, and exposure to people with disabilities were obtained. METHODS: Surveys were distributed to third- year students. The survey contained pictures of 7 people with physical disabilities and a response sheet. Responses to each picture were limited to 2 sentences or less. A demographic questionnaire was also administered. ANALYSIS: A demographic profile of the subjects was obtained through descriptive statistics. The average age of the sample population was 20.45 years and consisted of 50.8% males and 49.2% females. Health care majors were accountable for 27.5% ofthe sample population while non-health care majors accounted for 72.5%. Level of exposure to people with disabilities of the sample population was 30.7% once or twice a week, 27% a few times a year, 24.3% three or more times a week, 13.2% twice a month, and 4.8% rarely, if ever. Answers to the survey were reviewed by two of the researchers using the Use of First Person Language Scale (UPFLS). A Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine any differences between health care majors and non-health care majors in respect to attitudes towards people with disabilities. A second Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine differences in UPFLS between genders. A Spearman-Rho test was used to evaluate correlation between exposure to people with disabilities and use of person-first language. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in UPFLS between students in health care and non-health care majors (Z score -1.855). Therefore, the authors fail to reject the null hypothesis, which stated that there is no difference in attitudes toward people with disabilities between students in health care and non-health care majors. A significant difference was found in UPFLS between females and males (Z score -2.225). No correlation was found between exposure to people with disabilities and UPFLS (r = 0.15). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: No significant difference in attitudes toward people with disabilities was found between third-year college students of health care and non-health care majors. Students at Springfield College in health care majors were found to have similar attitudes toward people with disabilities as students in non-health care majors. Female subjects had significantly more positive attitudes toward people with disabilities than males. Prior research studying contributing factors to attitudes toward people with disabilities have varying results in choice of major and gender. Research has also shown that the use of disabling language by health care workers can lead to decreased rehabilitation outcomes. Departments of health care majors at colleges and universities may prepare more sensitive, positive, and effective health care workers through the integration of education and exposure to person first language.