Children’s attitudes and friendship behaviours towards socially stigmatised appearances: Do attitudes vary according to type of difference?

Parnell, Jade; Williamson, Heidi; Lewis, Fay; Slater, Amy

Abstract

Appearance-based stereotyping and stigma emerge in early childhood and can exist by the age of 4 years. Children from stigmatized groups (e.g., higher weight and visible difference) are at increased risk of experiencing judgment and unwanted behaviors (e.g., teasing) from other children, resulting in negative outcomes such as poorer psychological adjustment and quality of life. To understand appearance stigma in children further, this study evaluated children’s attitudes toward various socially stigmatized appearances. Three hundred and ninety-six children (aged 4–10 years, 54% female, and 83% White), from six primary schools in England, viewed in a randomized order, five digitally designed, realistic child characters. The images included characters with: No stigmatized appearance; wearing glasses; of higher weight; with a facial burn; and in a wheelchair. Measures assessed children’s attitudes and possible friendship behaviors toward the individual characters. Children had significantly less positive attitudes and friendship behaviors toward the higher-weight character and character with a facial burn compared to the characters with no stigmatized appearance, wearing glasses, and in a wheelchair (p < .05). Additionally, children were least likely to choose the higher-weight character as a best friend, followed by the character with a facial burn. Findings can help to inform future interventions designed to promote acceptance of socially stigmatized appearances in young children. These preliminary findings suggest stigma reduction efforts in young children are warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 6, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Jan 1, 2021
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 7, 2020
• Journal: Stigma and Health
• Print ISSN: 2376-6972
• Electronic ISSN: 2376-6964
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 344-353
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000287
• Keywords: Children, Stigma, Appearance, Attitudes
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/6762445