Shunit Reiter

Bullying among special education students with intellectual disabilities: Differences in social adjustment and social skills

Harassment and bullying among 186 students with intellectual disabilities, ages 12 to 21 years, in special education schools were examined. The differences between bullies and victims in terms of social adjustment and social skills were investigated. No prototypes characterizing differences in social skills were found between the three subgroups: victim, bully, and victim-bully. However, bullies and victim-bullies exhibited significantly higher levels of challenging behaviors, such as temper tantrums, unruly and quarrelsome behavior, and a tendency to lie and steal. Significant correlations were also found among actions as a bully, violent behavior, and hyperactivity. Being a victim was correlated with emotional and interpersonal problems.

E-Mentoring for All

Electronic mentoring appears to have great potential for youth with special needs since it is an accessible communication medium that provides an opportunity to exchange practical information and support and to experience an accepting relationship with less prejudice. To date, few electronic mentoring intervention programs have been designed especially to support the psychological needs of youth with special needs. This paper presents the results of a study that evaluated an electronic mentoring intervention program designed to provide social and emotional support for proteges with disabilities by mentors who also have disabilities. Using a primarily qualitative research design, the study characterized the electronic mentoring process and its contributions to this population. The findings provided support for the potential of electronic mentoring for personal development and empowerment of youth with special needs. Furthermore, the findings supported the usability and utility of the e-mentoring intervention based on a conceptual framework that characterized an electronic support process for people with special needs. Implications for implementing feasible electronic mentoring programs are discussed.

Parental attitudes toward the developmentally disabled among Arab communities in Israel: A cross-cultural study.

The present study investigated the attitudes of 184 Arab families toward their developmentally disabled children, using a questionnaire on Attitudes Towards Disabled Persons, (Yuker, Block and Campbel, 1960). The major findings were that generally attitudes were positive, with the Druze showing the most positive ones, while the Muslims and Christians expressed less positive attitudes. A major factor that was found to correlate with less positive attitudes was education. In our sample the more educated (many Christians) showed less favorable attitudes. The main conclusion of this study was that since Arab society in Israel is dynamic, and old traditions are forespoken for new ones, it is important to preserve positive attitudes--which have their roots in past traditions--towards developmentally disabled by enhancing modern concepts relating to their education and rehabilitation.

Effects of short-term awareness interventions on children's attitudes toward peers with a disability.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of two awareness activities on childrens attitudes towards peers with a disability. The Childrens Attitudes towards Peers with Disability scale including cognitive, behavioral and emotional subscales was administered before and after two types of short-term interventions. The first included 75 children from grades 7–9, who actively participated in the workshop simulating movement activities. The second intervention included 121 students of the 10th grade, who observed their peers participating in a wheelchair-basketball activity together with elite wheelchair-basketball players. Results indicated significant effects in the cognitive and behavioral domains. Post-test findings confirmed that intervention bridged the difference in the cognitive domain observed between those with and without previous contact at pretest.

Psychosocial effects of reverse-integrated basketball activity compared to separate and no physical activity in young people with physical disability

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of participation in different sport modalities on quality of life (QOL) and perceived social competence (PSC) in young people with physical disability. Ninety participants (33 females and 57 males) were monitored across four conditions: competitive separate physical activity (COSPA), recreational separate physical activity (RESPA), reverse-integrated basketball activity (RIBA), and no physical activity (NOPA). QOL and PSC questionnaires were administered at the beginning and the end of the studys duration of six months. ANCOVA corrected for functional independence and gender revealed significant group effects for pre to post change values of QOL and PSC, with greater positive change in the RIBA compared to all other groups. In addition, one-way ANOVA on pre to post change values with LSD post hoc revealed significant differences. RIBA change values for QOL with 8.77%, and for PSC with 9.98% change were significantly higher (p<.001) than in all other groups (ranges -0.18 through 1.36% for QOL, and -2.31 through 2.34% for PSC). These outcomes demonstrate a favorable outcome of the RIBA on participants. Low functional ability did not constrain the effects of sport participation.

E-mentoring for Youth with Special Needs: Preliminary Results

Recently, a growing number of electronic mentoring (e-mentoring) Web sites have become available that provide vocational and career support. To date, few researchers have addressed the phenomenon of e-mentoring from a socioemotional perspective for populations with special needs. This paper presents a pilot study designed to test and evaluate an e-mentoring intervention program based on mutual self-disclosure and friendship for youth with special needs. Using qualitative methods, the study characterized the e-mentoring process and its contributions to this population. Results provided support for the socioemotional potential of computer-mediated communication for youth with special needs, although some barriers were found. Practical implications for implementing feasible e-mentoring programs for youth with special needs are discussed.

Significance of a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Ceremony for Parents of Jewish Children With Developmental Disabilities

In the Jewish religion, a bar or bat mitzvah ceremony is the rite of passage from childhood towards adulthood. Twenty-one youngsters who attended two special education schools in Israel participated in group bar/bat mitzvah ceremonies. Parents were interviewed both before the learning process and after the ceremony. Findings showed that the bar/bat mitzvah experience was a positive multidimensional one. Dimensions identified were bar/bat mitzvah as a transition, a normative, and a religious experience; an event leading to a sense of connectedness; an opportunity for the enhancement of self-image; and a peak life experience.

Couple relationships as perceived by people with intellectual disability — implications for quality of life and self-concept

The study focused on perspectives of people with intellectual disability (ID) regarding their experience of being involved in an intimate relationship with a steady partner and on the discrepancies between their reported experiences and the prevailing opinions on this issue as expressed in the professional literature. In light of the importance of couple relationships in the general population, the paucity of studies that consider this type of relationship among people with ID is conspicuous. Qualitative analysis was used to understand how people with ID perceive couple relationships. Quantitative analysis was used to compare the quality of life and self-concept of people with ID involved in an intimate relationship with those of people with ID who have a strong relationship with a close friend. The findings indicate that people with ID perceive couple relationships to be multidimensional, with unique characteristics, much like the general population’s perception of couple relationships. In addition, it was found that people with ID involved in an intimate couple relationship scored higher on quality of life and self-image measures than did their counterparts who had a close relationship with a (non-partner) friend. Several recommendations are offered on how to help people with ID develop and maintain a long-term intimate relationship with a lifelong partner.

Institutional Reform--Prerequisites for Providing a Life of Quality for Mentally Retarded Residents.

The present paper is a socio-ecological description of institutional reforms implemented at Kfar Tikvah, Israel. Kfar Tikvah is a community for approximately 130 moderately mentally retarded individuals. For the purpose of institutional reforms the organizational structure of the kibbutz system was adopted, but without adherence to its underlying philosophy. As a first stage in institutional reform the application of the kibbutz structure proved successful. However, for reforms to achieve the goal of providing residents with quality of life, structural changes are not enough and a clear philosophical orientation is needed.

Review: Disability Across the Globe: Bill Albert, ed., In or Out of the Mainstream? Lessons from Research on Disability and Development Cooperation. Leeds: The Disability Press, 2006, 210 pp., ISBN 0954902629, £18.00

All the contributors to the 14 chapters of this book have actively participated in projects run by the Centre for Disability Studies of the School of Sociology and Social Policy at Leeds University. The book presents the reader with an in-depth discussion of the social model of disability. It also addresses the pitfalls of the massive monetary help provided to developing countries in Africa and Asia aimed at fighting poverty, as well as at promoting the well-being of persons with disabilities. The book is an excellent documentation of how the philosophy underlying our attitudes towards persons with disabilities actually determines the extent to which they will be able to benefit from help provided to them. The authors argue that the human rights of the disabled are constantly ignored by the aid-providing organizations. The reason for this phenomenon lies, according to them, in the view of the disabled as passive recipients of donations rather than as active participants in the decision-making process concerning their lives. Throughout the book the authors emphasize the viewpoint expressed by Mittler (2000) that ‘although we use the language of diversity, social justice and equal opportunity, the society in which we live is still riddled with inequalities’ (p. 12). In accordance with the social model of disability, these inequalities stem from two philosophical models of disability: the medical definition of disabilities and the welfare, patronizing approach (Reiter, 2000). These two perceptions are based on a categorical understanding of persons with disabilities rather than on considering the matter of human rights. As well put by Bill Albert and Mark Harrison in Chapter 1, the categorical approach is based on a ‘top–down, charity-like, professionals-know-best’ approach to disabled people (p. 2).