The relationship between perceptions of stigmatization, self-concept, and attributional style of deaf adolescents
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between perceptions of stigmatization, self-concept, and attributional style of deaf adolescents to determine if their adjustment was similar to hearing adolescents. The participants in this study included 185 students, 50 oral communication deaf students, 53 total communication deaf students, and 82 hearing students. The Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, Expanded Attributional Style Questionnaire, Perceptions of Deaf People Survey, and a demographic survey were used to determine self-concept, attributional style, and perceptions of stigmatization of deaf people.^ Three research questions were developed for this study. The major findings of this study were that oral communication students considered deafness a disability more than total communication students. Oral communication students had higher levels of self-concept related to their behavior than total communication students. Deaf students who used total communication were more likely to be external for positive attributions, with no differences between deaf students found for negative attributions. When hearing students were compared with the two types of deaf students, significant differences were found on perceptions of hearing people's attitudes toward deaf people and deafness as a disability. Hearing students had the lowest scores on the first measure, and deaf students who used oral communication had the least positive perceptions of deafness as a disability. Popularity, a measure of self-concept, was higher for hearing students than deaf students. Attributions for negative events were more external for total communication students and more internal for hearing students. On positive events, oral communication students were the most internal, with total communication students the most external. Other differences in attributional styles were found for stable/unstable for both negative and positive situations and for specific/global for positive events, but not negative events. Results of a regression analysis using only deaf students' responses showed that total self-concept could be predicted by perceptions of job expectations of deaf people.^ The findings of this study were similar to Crocker and Major's (1989) and Hillman, Sawilowsky, and Wood's (1994) findings regarding attributional style and stigma. More research is needed to determine consequences of stigmatization to maximize acceptance of deaf students into a mainstreamed educational environment. ^
Subject Area
Psychology, Social|Education, Educational Psychology
Recommended Citation
Barbara Kappy,
"The relationship between perceptions of stigmatization, self-concept, and attributional style of deaf adolescents"
(January 1, 1996).
ETD Collection for Wayne State University.
Paper AAI9715858.
http://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/dissertations/AAI9715858