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Coping with bullying in Australian schools: how children with disabilities experience support from friends, parents and teachers
- Authors:
- BOURKE Susannah, BURGMAN Imelda
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 25(3), 2010, pp.359-371.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This phenomenological study explores how children with disabilities experienced support when they were bullied at school. Qualitative interviews with 10 children, aged 8–10 years, were analysed. The children had a range of disabilities, including physical, visual and hearing impairments. The four themes that emerged were: (1) bullying experiences; (2) coping with bullying; (3) importance of friends; (4) adult responses to bullying. The implications of the contributions to this study for bullying research specific to the lives of children with disabilities are discussed, such as providing educational and health professionals with a knowledge of the support that children with disabilities draw on when they experience bullying.
An inquiry into the emotional impact of sight loss and the counselling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted people
- Author:
- THURSTON Mhairi
- Journal article citation:
- Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 10(1), March 2010, pp.3-12.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
While the link between sight loss and depression is well documented, dedicated counselling services for visually impaired people remain scarce, and research into the effectiveness of psychological interventions is mainly anecdotal rather than evidence based. This paper explores the emotional impact of visual impairment in four core areas (mood, self concept, social connectedness and loss), and explores the counselling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted adults. Data was collected from 18 individuals using the mental health and social functioning sub-scales of the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that participants with a serious eye condition shared a common transition from sight to blindness: diagnosis; coping with deterioration of sight; experiencing loss in different areas of life; experiencing changed perceptions of self in relation to society; experiencing others in a changed way; and experiencing rehabilitation. Participants indicated negative perceptions of counselling and a general lack of counselling opportunities. In conclusion, there is a need for counselling after diagnosis of visual impairment. Specific challenges facing those who deliver counselling to blind and partially sighted clients are discussed.