Investigation of the Relationship Between Mothers’ Attitudes Towards Disabled Individuals and Their Children’s Acceptance Levels

Early childhood is a critical process that plays a key role in the shaping of individuals, and therefore, societies. Important duties fall to parents so that this process can be managed successfully. Parents directly or indirectly relay their attitudes toward many topics not only with their childrearing attitudes but also through the interaction with their children. The child starts certain preliminary acceptance both about himself/herself and others through the interaction between mother and child. The child is most likely to use this preliminary acceptance that he/she requires especially in early childhood throughout his/her life as a mental template. In this context, it is aimed to investigate the relationship between mother's attitude toward disabled individuals and their children's acceptance levels. Data were collected from 60 mothers of 3-5-year-old children by using Demographic Form, Attitude toward the Disabled Scale and The Acceptance Scale for Kindergarten- Revised. According to the research findings, there was a positive and moderate relationship between family attitudes, family life, and efficacy subdimensions. There was no relationship in the educational environment, working life and interpersonal relationships subdimensions.