Development of children's understandings of physical disabilities and stigmatization in a Japanese cultural context: Reflections of children in second through sixth grades

Stigmatization associated with disability is a culturally widespread social justice issue. Elementary school age is an important period for children to develop positive attitudes toward people with disabilities. This study examines Japanese elementary school-aged children's developing perceptions of disability and stigmatization. Following interactions and discussion about disabilities with the author, a guest teacher who uses a wheelchair, 118 typically-developing Japanese children in second through sixth grades provided written reflections on physical disability and stigmatization. Children in all grade levels described both positive and negative aspects of disability. Younger children's responses, however, were relatively positive, focusing on concrete examples of life in a wheelchair. Older children's responses focused more on challenges, and articulated their feelings and thoughts about disability in greater detail. Some older children also used the author's disability narratives to describe how they had overcome their own challenges that were not necessarily related to disability. Such differences in children's responses by grade levels are discussed in the context of Japanese socialization practices that emphasize sensitivity to stigmatization as well as empathy to maintain interpersonal relationships. Implications of Japanese cultural cases to professionals in Western countries also are discussed.