engleski

Nurturance vs. Self-determination – what Croatian citizens believe about child rights

According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), all children (persons under the age of 18) have the right to protection and survival, the right to optimal development and the right to express their opinions and participate in decisions which affect them. However, whether or not child rights will be implemented and how, depends primarily on adults. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to examine how adults in Croatia view children and their rights. This was part of a larger UNICEF Croatia project which investigates participation of children from vulnerable groups. Total of 1000 adult Croatians participated in the study (47.5% women ; 64.1% high school graduates, 23.3% university graduates ; from all Croatian regions, 55.2% employed ; 58.3% married, 68.5% with children). The sample is representative for the adult Croatian population. We examined their perception of children (image of the child), and their attitudes towards and understanding of child rights. All the instruments were constructed for the purposes of this study and based on available questionnaires in the field and the CRC. Expectedly, results show children are viewed very positively. However, the image of the child is somewhat ambivalent – Croatian adults view children as active, cooperative and capable to express their opinion, they also view them as vulnerable and dependent. Overt support for different child rights based on the CRC was high, with support for nurturance rights (M=6.51, SD=0.731) being significantly higher (t = 34.84, p<.0001) than support for self-determination rights (M=5.67, SD=0.924). In addition, those who have children support nurturance rights (M=6.56, SD=0.667) more than those without children (M=6.41, SD=0.849) (t = 2.945, p<.01), but there were no significant differences in support of self- determination rights between those with or without children (t = 0.198, p>.05) When we examined attitudes towards child rights via modern prejudice (e.g. “children should stop complaining that they do not have enough rights”, “children today have too many rights, and too little responsibilities”, “children rights SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 185 threaten adult rights”)we observed high endorsement of modern prejudice (M=3.75 ; SD=1.058). In addition, those who harbor more modern prejudice also believe that adults should respect and support children rights less (r = -.44, p<.001), and support both nurturance (r = -.19, p<.001) and self-determination rights less (r = -.31, p<.001). They also have a more negative image of a child. They are more ready to believe children are disobedient (r = -.40, p<.001), boring (r = -.37, p<.001), vulnerable (r = -.06, p<.05), passive (r = -.33, p<.001) and less capable of self- determination and participation in decisions (r = -.09, p<.01). Overall, results indicate that important strides need to be made with adults and their attitudes towards child rights.

child rights, nurturance rights, self-determination rights, image of the child, attitudes

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