Attitudes of typically developing preschool children towards their peers with special needs: A mixed methods study

This research was conducted to determine the attitudes of typically developing preschool children towards their peers with special needs who attend an inclusion and integration program. An exploratory sequential design, one of the mixed methods research designs, was used in the research. The research was conducted with 111 pre-school students in 5 kindergartens in Karaman province. The quantitative data of the study were collected using the Preschool Acceptance Scale (PÖKÖ) adapted to Turkish by Ahmetoğlu, Sphendi and Acar. Descriptive and statistical techniques were used in the analysis of quantitative data using the SPSS 25.0 program. The qualitative data of the study were collected through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher. Interviews were held with five students, each with the highest and lowest scores on the Preschool Acceptance Scale, at their schools. The answers given to the interview form used in the qualitative part of the research were analyzed using the content analysis method. In the quantitative dimension of the research, it was examined whether typically developing students' acceptance levels of their peers differed according to gender (girl/boy) and age (60-66 months/67-72 months) variables. According to the findings, it is concluded that the average scores of the participants of female gender are significantly higher than those of male gender. In other words, girls' acceptance levels of their peers with special needs were found to be higher than boys. Again, according to the findings, when looking at the age variable, it was concluded that there was no significant difference. In the qualitative dimension of the research, 4 themes were determined by the researcher as a result of the content analysis. In line with the opinions of the students, these themes were determined as "Perceptions of the characteristics of disabled individuals", "Perception of disability", "Empathy" and "Perspectives on classmates with special needs". The data were discussed in the light of the literature. Key Words: Preschool Acceptance, Attitude, Typically Developing Child, İndividual With Special Needs