Attitudes Toward Children With Severe Burns

Authors

Margot Holaday, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Ruth McPhearson, University of Southern Missisisppi

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-1997

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Reasons for negative attitudes toward children with severe burns were examined by surveying 226 counseling and rehabilitation students who rated 35 statements on a Likert-type scale. Four categories of statements were judged as ''true'' reasons for negative attitudes: Societal Standards of Beauty, Emotional Reaction of the Observer, Reminders of Personal Vulnerability, and Assumption of Social Contamination by Association. Three other categories rated as ''untrue'' reasons were Expectations of Problems in School and Sports, Predictions of Poor Interpersonal Relationships, and Pubic Rejection of the Stigmatized Child. Anticipated countertransference, personal vulnerability, and culturally condoned stereotyping may be responsible for particular biases and should be addressed in counselor training.

Publication Title

Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin

Volume

41

Issue

1

First Page

54

Last Page

69

Recommended Citation

Holaday, M., McPhearson, R. (1997). Attitudes Toward Children With Severe Burns. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 41(1), 54-69.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/5425