Publication Date

2007

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Abstract

This study utilized a relational-exploratory design in an attempt to develop a clearer understanding of how attitudes towards deafness are related to potential quality of services rendered. It was hypothesized that amount of contact or level of knowledge of deafness might affect attitudes. It was inferred that attitudes that are more positive would result in more appropriate services, and attitudes that are more negative would result in less appropriate services. The sample was compromised of students at the undergraduate and graduate level as well as experienced clinicians recruited from a community mental health center in rural New Hampshire (N=86). Participants either completed an online survey or filled out a hard copy survey. The Attitudes Towards Deafness Scale was the instrument utilized to measure attitudes of subjects. Demographic and additional questions designed by the researcher were incorporated into the survey. The purpose of additional questions was to attempt to substantiate amount of knowledge of deafness and level of contact in order to correlate results of the attitude survey. Results of the data analysis showed significant difference in the attitude score between those who had served a deaf person and those who had not. Additionally, results also showed a significant difference between those who had received training and those who had not.

Comments

iv, 74 p. Thesis (M.S.W)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2007. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-58).

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