Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.63714/issn.3029-4339.2025.21.1.319
Attitudes of peers towards the inclusion of children with developmental disabilities
Katarina Lekić
; JU OŠ Podorašje, Srebrenik, Bosna i Hercegovina
Abstract
There are many studies in which conclusions are drawn about the attitudes of teachers, teachers, and parents, but there is not much information about students’ attitudes who, along with the family, form the environment in which a child with developmental difficulties grows up. Therefore, in this paper, through a systematic review, 19 studies were singled out to gain insight into peers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with developmental disabilities. Some of the other goals were: to analyze the research results about attitudes towards inclusion in elementary school-age peers, analyze the influence of some variables (gender, age, personal knowledge of a child with disabilities, etc.) on the attitudes of elementary school-age children, analyze the research results on the attitudes towards inclusion in high school age peers, analyze the influence of some variables (gender, age, personal knowledge of a child with disabilities, etc.) on the attitudes of high school-aged children, to compare the attitudes towards inclusion between elementary school age peers and high school age peers. Based on isolated research, it can be concluded that the attitudes of peers of primary and secondary school age towards the inclusion of children with disabilities generally range from mildly positive to neutral attitudes, as expected. The attitudes of elementary school-age peers towards the inclusion of children with developmental disabilities are slightly positive, as expected. Girls of primary school age show more positive attitudes towards children with developmental disabilities. It has not been confirmed that younger school-age children will show more positive attitudes compared to their peers in higher grades of primary school. Previous contact was not always a significant predictor for the development of positive attitudes towards children with developmental disabilities. The results of the review of the attitudes towards inclusion in high school peers range from neutral to negative, which is in line with expectations. Girls of secondary school age had more positive attitudes compared to boys. Students who had previous contact with students with developmental disabilities did not always have more positive attitudes, which is not in line with the expected results. No difference was observed between lower and upper secondary school students. Secondary school students had somewhat more negative attitudes compared to elementary school students. These results should not be considered final since the number of available studies about high school students’ attitudes is small.There are many studies in which conclusions are drawn about the attitudes of teachers, teachers, and parents, but there is not much information about students’ attitudes who, along with the family, form the environment in which a child with developmental difficulties grows up. Therefore, in this paper, through a systematic review, 19 studies were singled out to gain insight into peers’ attitudes toward the inclusion of students with developmental disabilities. Some of the other goals were: to analyze the research results about attitudes towards inclusion in elementary school-age peers, analyze the influence of some variables (gender, age, personal knowledge of a child with disabilities, etc.) on the attitudes of elementary school-age children, analyze the research results on the attitudes towards inclusion in high school age peers, analyze the influence of some variables (gender, age, personal knowledge of a child with disabilities, etc.) on the attitudes of high school-aged children, to compare the attitudes towards inclusion between elementary school age peers and high school age peers. Based on isolated research, it can be concluded that the attitudes of peers of primary and secondary school age towards the inclusion of children with disabilities generally range from mildly positive to neutral attitudes, as expected. The attitudes of elementary school-age peers towards the inclusion of children with developmental disabilities are slightly positive, as expected. Girls of primary school age show more positive attitudes towards children with developmental disabilities. It has not been confirmed that younger school-age children will show more positive attitudes compared to their peers in higher grades of primary school. Previous contact was not always a significant predictor for the development of positive attitudes towards children with developmental disabilities. The results of the review of the attitudes towards inclusion in high school peers range from neutral to negative, which is in line with expectations. Girls of secondary school age had more positive attitudes compared to boys. Students who had previous contact with students with developmental disabilities did not always have more positive attitudes, which is not in line with the expected results. No difference was observed between lower and upper secondary school students. Secondary school students had somewhat more negative attitudes compared to elementary school students. These results should not be considered final since the number of available studies about high school students’ attitudes is small.
Keywords
attitudes; inclusion; students with disabilities
Hrčak ID:
344264
URI
Publication date:
30.11.2025.
Visits: 433 *