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People with intellectual disabilities often face discriminatory behaviour in everyday life. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into experiences of discrimination of people with intellectual disabilities. The research participants were 25 people with mild intellectual disabilities who live in Zagreb, Croatia. Their experiences indicate that they have experienced direct and indirect discrimination by people from their immediate social environment with whom they interact almost daily. Four themes about experienced discrimination emerged from the analysis: disability harassment, economic disadvantages, denial of the right to form or maintain intimate relationships, and peer rejection and exclusion. Discrimination is manifested in different treatment in fields of education, employment, participation in society and opportunities for realisation of certain social roles. It affects the quality of life and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

Introduction. Formal and informal support are important for quality of life of people with disabilities and their families. Objective. The aim of this paper was to (a) identify types of and satisfaction with support for Croatian and Serbian people with disabilities (PWD) and their caregivers and (b) summarise the effects of support reported by PWD and/or their caregivers in Croatia and Serbia. Methods. A systematic search was conducted, followed by eligibility screening of the peer-reviewed articles published from 2000 to June 2020. EBSCOhost, Hrčak, and the Serbian Citation Index [Srpski Citatni Indeks] databases were searched. We also searched the grey literature using Google Scholar and employed backward reference searching. The authors scanned articles and extracted the data related to the country, study's aim, study's design, sample, methodology, and findings. Twenty seven studies were included in this review. Results. Croatian and Serbian PWD and their caregivers received informational, emotional, practical, and financial support at different degrees. They were most satisfied with informal support, while the degree of satisfaction with formal support varied. They highly valued support programs. Conclusion. Croatia and Serbia, in general, lack a formal support system, and informal support is the most prevalent for PWD and their caregivers. There is a need for more support programs for families of PWD.

The aim of this qualitative study is to gain insight into the perspectives of persons with multiple sclerosis on social support. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven persons with multiple sclerosis. The results on informal support for persons with multiple sclerosis reveal perceived support and the lack of support from different persons. The results on formal support for persons with multiple sclerosis show perceived support from healthcare professionals, professionals working outside healthcare and social care systems, and associations of persons with MS, but also inadequate support from healthcare professionals and social workers. Close emotional relationship, empathy, knowledge and understanding are the basis for provision of all types of support from informal support system, while perceived support from formal support system is based on professionals´ empathy, their professionalism and knowledge. Persons with multiple sclerosis need accurate and timely emotional, informational, practical and financial support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to gain insight into some domains of the quality of life of children with epidermolysis bullosa and their parents from perspectives of mothers. Semi-structured interview was used as method for data collection with six mothers of children with epidermolysis bullosa. Thematic analysis was a method of analysing data. The results show that the quality of life of parents of children with epidermolysis bullosa is determined by parents' good health, job satisfaction and received support from different sources, as well as the family's financial well-being and their limited possibilities of participating in leisure activities. The quality of life of children with epidermolysis bullosa is determined by the children's affiliation to the community, poorer health condition of children, children's abilities to perform certain everyday activities, as well as appropriate support from the formal support system. It is clear that this rare disease affects the quality of life of all family members. Families of children with epidermolysis bullosa need informational, practical, emotional, and financial support from informal and formal support system, especially from highly specialized and well networked professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to gain insight into parents‘ of children with developmental disabilities perspectives about rights and services in Croatian social welfare system. This qualitative research was conducted with 13 participants. The results show positive and negative aspects about the realization of rights and services in social welfare system from parents´ of children with developmental disabilities perspectives. Social welfare system as formal support system provides different types of emotional, informational and practical support to families of children with developmental disabilities. The positive aspects indicate professionalism of social workers, improvement of family members´ quality of life, and realization of services, while negative aspects show problems and challenges facing social welfare centers and realization of rights and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with intellectual disabilities often face discriminatory behaviour in everyday life. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into experiences of discrimination of people with intellectual disabilities. The research participants were 25 people with mild intellectual disabilities who live in Zagreb, Croatia. Their experiences indicate that they have experienced direct and indirect discrimination by people from their immediate social environment with whom they interact almost daily. Four themes about experienced discrimination emerged from the analysis: disability harassment, economic disadvantages, denial of the right to form or maintain intimate relationships, and peer rejection and exclusion. Discrimination is manifested in different treatment in fields of education, employment, participation in society and opportunities for realisation of certain social roles. It affects the quality of life and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport and physical activity can play significant role in the lives of persons with disabilities. Participating in sports can improve their health and physical capacities, promote constructive use of their time, as well as provide a better way to integrate and be included in the community. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into perspectives of six coaches regarding their work as para taekwondo trainers. The results present the challenges in the coaches' work, ways of dealing with difficulties related to para taekwondo training, and positive training outcomes. The challenges faced by coaches indicate acceptance of the abilities of the athletes, ascribed incompetence to athletes with disabilities, lack of trust in the abilities of athletes among people in their social environment, and aggressive behaviour exhibited by persons with intellectual disabilities. Other challenges include limited financial resources, the importance of becoming aware of one's own prejudice about the capabilities of individuals with disabilities, and building relationships with athletes with disabilities. The coaches deal with difficulties related to para taekwondo training by educating themselves and others, applying an individualised approach to training, cooperating with people from the social environment of athletes with disabilities, and considering the work done with athletes with disabilities as a reward. They recognise positive training outcomes for athletes with disabilities through improvements in bodily functioning, better self-image, and further inclusion in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this qualitative study is to obtain insight into the experiences of mothers of children with PWS with the formal support system in Croatia. The study was conducted in 2013 with five mothers of children with PWS. Thematic analysis was used as the analytic method. The results highlight four major themes related to mothers' experience of accessing and using formal support: professionals' lack of knowledge about PWS results in living without support; professionals' lack of empathy; professionals' commitment to improve the well-being of families; and getting support through membership in the Association of Persons with PWS Croatia. The social support in Croatia is defined by the lack of knowledge and lack of empathy of professionals, which results in disrespect for the human rights and dignity of children with PWS. Raising the awareness about PWS is crucial for improving the quality of life of families living with PWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research / Hrvatska Revija za Rehabilitacijska Istraživanja is the property of Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ljetopis Socijalnog Rada / Annual of Social Work is the property of Pravni Fakultet Sveucilista u Zagrebu, Studijski Centar Socijalnog Rada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research / Hrvatska Revija za Rehabilitacijska Istraživanja is the property of Croatian Review of Rehabilitation Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper is to present the history of the people with intellectual disabilities' institutionalization, primarily in the USA, United Kingdom, and Germany, countries whose social policies were used as the role model for social policy in many other countries. The first part of the paper will provide information about the causes of intellectual disabilities, different classification of people and the purpose of the institutionalization in the period from the Middle Ages until the beginning of deinstitutionalization. The purpose of the institutionalization will be presented as the protection of people with intellectual disabilities and the protection of society from people with intellectual disabilities. Some aspects of education, labor and sterilization as important determinants of people with intellectual disabilities' life in institutions, basic aspects of history of institutionalization in Croatia and some information about the deinstitutionalization in the world are going to be presented in the second part of the paper. In the final part of the paper the answers about what has been changed during the history when it comes to the institutionalization of people with intellectual disabilities as a measure of social policy are going to be presented. The conclusion is that although the modern trends of deinstitutionalization ensure progress in the care of people with intellectual disabilities, many aspects of the institutionalization have been minimally changed during history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to get an insight into understanding the stigma of disability based on the experience and perception of people with disabilities and professionals who work with them. Methods: Qualitative research methods were used with two focus groups: one with people with disabilities (five participants) and other with professionals (seven participants). After data were collected, a qualitative content analysis was made. Results: The results indicated that participants perceived and experienced stigma of disability through intrinsic and extrinsic elements of stigmatization. The intrinsic elements refer to the feeling of being different as a result of negative attitudes, prejudices and stereotypes. The extrinsic elements derive from the relationship of the system towards people with disabilities: discrimination and labelling. Some of the major findings of this research are that the stigma of disability is shown through the inability of the people with disabilities to make their own decisions, the perception of the disability as the main feature of the person, the lack of criteria during education, perceiving disability as a precondition in choosing a partner and parental capability, parents' decision-making about their children's lives, overprotection and stigmatization in education and employment. Stigmatization leads to social exclusion and influences the quality of life. Conclusion: The stigma of disability is manifested through the impossibility of realizing basic human rights, of living life independently and of taking equal part in a local community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]