Public opinion of adult citizens of the Republic of Croatia on approaching children with developmental disabilities

Abstract

Research into the perception of the social community towards approaches to children with developmental disabilities is a prerequisite for social changes in the direction of equality. Therefore, this research sought to determine the level of agreement of the citizens of the Republic of Croatia with the statements related to the prevalent approaches to children with developmental disabilities-models and the activities that result from certain models, and possible differences with regard to sociodemographic characteristics. In doing so, three conceptual approaches-models to children with developmental disabilities were used; the charity model, the medical model and the social model of human rights (a model that integrates the basic determinants of the social model and the human rights model). The research was conducted using the telephone survey method and included a representative sample of the adult population of Croatia (N=600). The results indicated a high level of agreement among the participants with all statements, which, given the low turnout of the participants (about 20%), certainly partly results from the self-selection of the respondents and the social desirability of the answers to the questions. Despite the limitations, including the telephone survey method, which does not allow comprehensive operationalization, the results of the conducted research indicate that citizens of Croatia mostly agree with the statement that supports the social model of human rights, further supported by the fact that agreement with this statement does not vary with regard to sociodemographic characteristics.