Fostering University Students’ Tolerance Towards Peers with Disabilities: An Empirical Model

The aim of this study was to develop and test a model for fostering tolerance among university students towards their peers with disabilities. The study involved 120 students from universities and colleges in Kazakhstan. Participants were divided into two groups: a control group (63 students with prior experience in interaction) and an experimental group (57 students without such experience). The research employed questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Upon completion of the programme, the experimental group demonstrated marked improvements across three key scales. Tolerance for uncertainty increased from 55.1 to 74.5 (t = 11.8, p < .001). Knowledge about people with disabilities rose from 50.4 to 81.7 (t = 13.6, p < .001). The score for the interaction experience increased from 22.3 to 55.2 (t = 16.4, p < .001). Furthermore, growth was observed in the empathy subscales: Perspective Taking (t = 6.22, p < .001) and Empathic Concern (t = 7.04, p < .001), alongside a reduction in Personal Distress. In the control group, which had prior experience interacting with people with disabilities, the changes were minimal and statistically insignificant. The findings demonstrate the efficacy of the developed model for fostering student tolerance.