The image of people with intellectual disability in Taiwan newspapers

Factors Affecting the Perception of Disability: A Developmental Perspective

Perception of disability is an important construct affecting not only the well-being of individuals with disabilities, but also the moral compass of the society. Negative attitudes toward disability disempower individuals with disabilities and lead to their social exclusion and isolation. By contrast, a healthy society encourages positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities and promotes social inclusion. The current review explored disability perception in the light of the in-group vs. out-group dichotomy, since individuals with disabilities may be perceived as a special case of out-group. We implemented a developmental approach to study perception of disability from early age into adolescence while exploring cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of children’s attitudes. Potential factors influencing perception of disability were considered at the level of society, family and school environment, and the individual. Better understanding of factors influencing the development of disability perception would allow the design of effective interventions to improve children’s attitudes toward peers with disabilities, reduce intergroup biases, and promote social inclusion. Based on previous research in social and developmental psychology, education, and anthropology, we proposed an integrative model that provides a conceptual framework for understanding the development of disability perception.

The way to ultimate wisdom: an exploratory qualitative study on Taiwanese students with disabilities attending college

Background: In Asian culture, knowledge obtained at institutions of higher education contributes to heightened social status, greater respect in the community, and family prestige. As a result, Taiwan's central government sought to maximize opportunities for students to attend institutions of higher education, including students with disabilities. However, professional development and systems-capacity are needed to keep pace with the rapid expansion of higher education opportunities for students with disabilities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to expand the limited body of information on college students with disabilities in Taiwan. Method: In total, we conducted nine in-depth interviews with key stakeholders: (a) individuals with disabilities, (b) high school educators, and (c) university faculty and staff. Results: Five primary findings emerged from our analysis: (a) accessibility in college, (b) College Resource Rooms, (c) faculty involvement, (d) parent involvement, and (e) recommendations to enhance student outcomes. Conclusion: Findings reflect Taiwanese efforts to enact laws and implement regulations to secure rights for students with disabilities to participate in post-secondary education. However, as participants highlighted, there remains a need to determine how to best support students with disabilities in institutions of higher education, including effectively preparing students with disabilities for college, making environments accessible, supporting faculty to effectively teach diverse students, providing college staff support, and supporting parents to facilitate students' self-determination.

Comparing Self-stigma Between People With Different Mental Disorders in Taiwan

Internalized stigma (or self-stigma), one of the most painful effects of stigma, causes people with mental health problems profound negative consequences, for example, psychological adversity, demoralization, and feelings of hopelessness. However, knowledge about self-stigma in people with different mental disorders is insufficient. We hypothesized that people with different psychiatric diagnoses have different levels of self-stigma. Through convenience sampling, we used the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness Scale to compare people diagnosed with schizophrenia (n = 161), depressive disorder (n = 98), bipolar disorder (n = 43), and anxiety disorder (n = 45) in southern Taiwan. We found that people with schizophrenia (mean, 2.09-2.30) and those with bipolar disorder (mean, 2.16-2.38) had significantly higher levels of self-stigma, except for the Stigma Resistance, than did those with anxiety disorder (mean, 1.74-1.87). Our results suggest that clinicians should use different interventions to reduce self-stigma for populations with different psychiatric diagnoses.

A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the New Zealand media portrayal of Down syndrome

BACKGROUND

There are only a small number of studies that systematically explore the tensions between the global shift to universal screening and the media representations of the people with Down syndrome. This paper contributes to the literature by analyzing the New Zealand media coverage of this topic.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the content and quality of selected New Zealand media references to Down syndrome in light of the claim by New Zealand support group Saving Downs of state supported eugenics via universal screening.

METHODS

Quantitative content analysis was conducted of 140 relevant New Zealand articles (from 2001 to 2011) and qualitative critical discourse analysis of 18 relevant articles (from 2009 to 2011) selected from television, magazine and newspaper.

RESULTS

The content analysis showed no strong directional reporting although the quality of life for people with Down syndrome was represented as slightly negative. Most articles focused on issues of society, government and care rather than genetics. The qualitative analysis identified themes around quality of life, information and bias, preparedness, eugenics, the visualness of disability and the need for public debate around genetic screening and testing.

CONCLUSION

The New Zealand print media coverage of these issues has been relatively balanced. Recent mixed media coverage of the topic is critical, complex and socially inclusive of people with Down syndrome.