Acceptance and preference dilemmas in choosing playmates

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

Abstract

This small-scale study aims to explore the views of non-disabled 6-8 year-old children towards children with physical disability from the angle of the level of acceptance of the latter depending on the type of activity of interaction with the former. Young children not only distinguish physical disability from less visible disabilities but also consider children using wheelchairs as less competent than others depending on the nature of the activities (Diamond, 1994, Diamond and Hong, 2010, Magiati, Dockrell, and Logotheti, 2002). Young children are more likely to choose a child in wheelchair when the disability itself does not impede unobstructed participation in the activity (Diamond and Tu, 2009). 18 participants were interviewed individually in a game-like process involving simple tasks and questions with the use of pictures. Children were shown images of disabled and nondisabled hypothetical peers and were asked questions based on three different activities. Informed consents were obtained by children's parents and the children who were made aware of the project, the voluntary participation and their right to withdraw any time. All data collected were anonymised and kept confidential (EECERA, 2014). It was found that the majority of children tend to choose the hypothetical disabled children even for activities involving mobility. Children's justifications of their choices are of particular interest and fall within the sphere of morality. This guides educators in terms of choosing appropriate activities in the framework of child-focused interventional programmes aiming the promotion of fruitful social interactions between disabled and nondisabled children (Diamond and Hong, 2010).
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusUnpublished - Aug 2018
EventEECERA International Conference 2018: Early Childhood Education, Families and Communities - Budapest, Hungary
Duration: 28 Aug 201831 Aug 2018
https://www.eecera.org/conference/2018-28th-eecera-conference-budapest-hungary/

Conference

ConferenceEECERA International Conference 2018
Country/TerritoryHungary
CityBudapest
Period28/08/1831/08/18
Internet address

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Acceptance and preference dilemmas in choosing playmates'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this