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Developmental differences in understanding the causes, controllability and chronicity of disabilities
1School of Education, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK. Lesley.Smith@education.ed.ac.uk
Objective:
The present study explored typically developing children's (n = 77) understanding of the causes, controllability and chronicity of disabilities.
Design:
Children in each of four age groups (4-5 years, 6-7 years, 9-10 years and 11-12 years) were interviewed to explore their ideas about children with physical disabilities (minor: missing thumb; major: wheel-chair bound), sensory disabilities (blindness and hearing loss), learning disabilities (non-specific and Down syndrome) and emotional/behavioural difficulties (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and lack of social skills).
Results:
Significant age differences were found in children's understandings of the causes, controllability and chronicity of disabilities. Furthermore, children showed a greater understanding of salient disabilities.
Conclusions:
Findings are discussed in terms of developmental changes and the role of experience in shaping children's understanding of disabilities.
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