Japanese elementary school-aged children’s experiences navigating disability and stigmatization at school: Peer stigmatization and the disability hierarchy

Inclusive education promotes the right of children with disabilities to receive a public education with typically-developing children. Yet the indisputable advantages of inclusive education also come with a cost. Children with disabilities across cultures report peer stigmatization, including teasing, bullying, social isolation, and feelings of inferiority and shame. An understanding of children’s experiences can help social workers and educators meet the challenge of maximizing the benefits of inclusive education while minimizing the risks of stigmatization. Yet relatively few studies have consulted with children with disabilities directly about their school experiences of stigmatization, especially within Confucian cultures that are particularly sensitive to stigmatization. In this case study, we examine children’s experiences of peer stigmatization in Japan. We focus on two children with autism spectrum disorders without delay in intellectual development through intensive participant observation in general and special education classrooms at an elementary school, and collateral interviews with nine adults (their parents and educators). Educators provided stigma-sensitive, child-centered support, including close consultation with children and their parents regarding when, where, and how children received support. Nonetheless, children experienced some peer stigmatization in general education settings due to their disability-related differences. They, in turn, exhibited stigmatizing behaviors in their special education classroom directed toward children with intellectual disabilities (i.e., disability hierarchy). We will describe implications of stigma-sensitive and child-centered practices for western professionals.