Attitudes of Students towards Peers with Disability in an Inclusive School in Nigeria

Abiola Olaleye , Olorunfemi Ogundele , Samson Deji , Oluseye Ajayi , Omolara Olaleye , Titilope Adeyanju
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5463/dcid.v23i3.136
Submitted: 2020-09-14 07:26:46
Published: 2012-12-05

Purpose: The majority of children and young people with disabilities live in developing countries where they face inequalities in education and other opportunities. Negative attitudes constitute one of the major barriers to the development of their potential.

This study aimed to describe the attitudes of students without disability towards their peers with disability, and to assess the role that gender and interpersonal contact play in shaping these attitudes.

Method: A cross-sectional study involving 107 students was carried out at an inclusive secondary school located in a peri-urban area in South Western Nigeria.

Participants were recruited from a group of 118 students in the three junior classes and senior class one (JSS 1 to SSS 1). A semi-structured questionnaire containing items on the “Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps (CATCH) scale”, which elicits responses on a Likert scale numbered 0 to 4 (0-strongly disagree, 4-strongly agree), was administered. Data analysis was done using Stata version 12. Descriptive analysis was carried out and association between variables was  determined using independent two-tailed t-tests.

Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.83. The attitudes of students in the school were generally positive (M = 22.55, SD = 3.79). Female students had higher total scores (M = 24.76, SD = 2.78) than their male contemporaries (M = 19.84, SD = 3.05), t (103) = 8.55, p = .000. Having a friend/relative with a disability was associated with more positive attitudes among female students.

Conclusions: In this inclusive setting, the attitudes of students towards their peers with disability were generally positive. Since interpersonal contact was associated with positive attitudes towards students with disabilities, interventions should be directed towards promoting interpersonal relationships in order to build an integrated society.

Keywords

attitudes towards peers with disability inclusive school Nigeria

Authors

Abiola Olaleye

The author has seven years of progressive work experience in monitoring and evaluation, public health research and development. He is a Senior Registrar in the  Department of Community Health, OAUTHC, Ile Ife, Nigeria. Currently, he is a graduate student in the School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, South Africa.

He has published in international and national peer reviewed journals; and presented in many conferences.

Olorunfemi Ogundele

The author has 14 years experience as a doctor and five years as a public health physician,  and has published several articles in national and international journals.

Currently , he works as a Senior Registrar in Community Medicine at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital complex, Ile -Ife, Nigeria, providing care at clinical and community level.
Samson Deji

The author has about ten years of clinical experience and has published paper in international journal and presented abstract in confernce . He is currently a public health physician in the Department of Community Health, Obafemi Awolowo Univeristy Teaching Hospital Ile Ife Nigeria , where  he carries on clinical work and research on various areas of medicine  including social rehabilative medicine.

Oluseye Ajayi

The author is a Registrar in the Department of Community Health, OAUTHC, Ile Ife, Nigeria. He has three years experience in clinical and public health research and data management.

Omolara Olaleye

The author is a Medical Officer in the General Outpatient Department, OAUTHC, ile Ife, Nigeria. She has three years experience in clinical and social work. Her interest is in social and rehabilitative medicine.

Titilope Adeyanju

The author has two years experience in Public Health Medicine. She is interested in adolescent health and development. Currently, she works as a Registrar in the Department of Community Health, OAUTHC, Ile Ife, Nigeria.

How to Cite

Abiola Olaleye, Olorunfemi Ogundele, Samson Deji, Oluseye Ajayi, Omolara Olaleye, Titilope Adeyanju (2012-12-05). Attitudes of Students towards Peers with Disability in an Inclusive School in Nigeria. Disability, CBR & Inclusive Development, Vol. 23 No. 3 (2012): Autumn, 65-75. https://doi.org/10.5463/dcid.v23i3.136

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