Disability in mass media through children’s eyes: Primary school students’ perceptions of media portrayals of people with disabilities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14295/bjs.v5i6.869Keywords:
disability, media, children, representation, media literacyAbstract
Media representations of people with disabilities often rely on simplified or stereotypical narratives that do not reflect everyday social realities. Such portrayals may reinforce pity-based or charitable perspectives and contribute to the persistence of social distance and misunderstanding. Against this background, the present study explores how primary school students perceive the way disability is presented in mass media. A pilot study was conducted between October and December 2025 with 154 sixth-grade students attending primary schools in the region of Attica, Greece. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire adapted for children aged 11–12 years. The study examined students’ interest in disability-related information, the media sources through which they are informed, their emotional responses to disability-related media content, and their evaluation of media attitudes toward people with disabilities. Findings indicate that the majority of students express a clear interest in being informed about disability-related issues. Television remains the primary source of information, while digital media and social networking platforms are also frequently reported. Students largely perceive media portrayals of people with disabilities as characterized by pity, yet they strongly believe that accurate and objective media coverage could substantially improve their own attitudes and behaviors toward people with disabilities.
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