Investigation of the attitude of students of social service department to work with disabled individuals and disabled persons: Sample of Gümüşhane University

Disability is a condition that restrictsthe life activities of individuals from the beginning of humanity to the present day. It would be wrong to consider disability only as a health problem. Disability is a complex phenomen on that affects the disabled individual and his/her family in education, health, social and economic fields. In particular, individuals with disabilities experience problems in terms of participation in social life and access to services. Attitudes are one of the main reasons for these problems. Negative attitudes and perceptions towards disabled people cause socialisolation of both the disabled person and his/her family. Developing positive attitudes towards disabled people is vital for the social participation of disabled people. For this reason, it is necessary to examine the attitudes of the professionals who will work with disabled people and develop them positively. In this respect, this thesis aims to examine the attitudes of social worker candidates who will work directly with disabled applicant groups. In this context, the study examined the attitudes of the students studying in the 4th grade of Gümüşhane University, Department of Social Work towards working with disabled people as applicants and attitudes towards disabled people. In determining the attitudes of social work students towards disabled people, demographic questions and the "Attitudes Towards Disabled People Scale" developed within the scope of the "How Society Understands Disability" research conducted by the Prime Ministry Administration for Disabled People were used. Attitudes were evaluated according to the subscales of education, interpersonal relations, working life, family life, personal characteristics, competence and independent life. In the context of the data obtained from the survey problems, evaluations were made about students' attitudes towards the disabled. Keywords: Disability, Gümüşhane University, Socialwork, Attitude.