Attitudes and care behaviors of pediatric nurses toward individuals with disabilities: A descriptive-correlational study

Purpose This study was a descriptive-correlational research study examining pediatric nurses' attitudes and care behaviors toward individuals with disabilities. Design and methods Data were collected online from 182 pediatric nurses working in hospitals across Türkiye between February and June 2025. Data collection used an Information Form, the Attitude Scale for Persons Affected by Disability (ASPAD), and the Caring Behaviors Inventory-24 (CBI-24). The data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0, including descriptive statistics, normality tests, and correlation analyses. Results The average score on the ASPAD for pediatric nurses in this study was 64.15 ± 11.71, while the average score on the CBI-24 was 5.46 ± 0.38. The average ASPAD score was significantly higher ( p < 0.05) among pediatric nurses who worked as ward nurses and held postgraduate degrees. Additionally, mean CBI-24 subscale scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) among female pediatric nurses with more than 5 years of professional experience, those working in pediatric clinics, and those without disabled family members. No statistically significant relationship was found between the attitude scores and care behaviors ( p > 0.05). Conclusions Pediatric nurses demonstrated positive attitudes toward individuals with disabilities and high levels of caring behavior. Practice implications The findings indicate that positive attitudes alone may not be sufficient to ensure consistent caring behaviors. Therefore, supportive professional environments and targeted in-service training may be necessary to translate positive attitudes into effective care practices for children with disabilities.