Measuring public discomfort at meeting people with disabilities

Public attitudes to the rights and community inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities: A transnational study

BACKGROUND

Public support for the rights of persons with intellectual disability (ID) and their acceptance in local communities has been rarely studied internationally and the variables associated with more positive attitudes remain to be confirmed.

AIMS

To develop and test a model that brought together personal, organisational and national predictors related to public attitudes that have been previously identified in past research.

METHODS AND PROCEDURES

Self-completed, online surveys were undertaken with market research panels in 17 countries and in eight cities in the USA with a total of 36,508 respondents who were representative in terms of gender and age. Path analysis was used to explore the inter-relationships among the predictor, possible mediating and outcomes variables.

OUTCOMES AND RESULTS

The resulting model was a good fit for the data. Support for the rights and community acceptance of people with ID was highest among university educated respondents, those who were comfortable at meeting people with ID and those living in countries with very high ratings on the Inequality Adjusted Human Development Index.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

The model could guide further research into public attitudes alongside the development of interventions to promote more positive attitudes. Further research into the validity of the model is proposed.

Can interpersonal contact help improve attitudes toward soldiers with intellectual disability? An Israeli study

BACKGROUND

It has been argued that interpersonal contact is the best intervention for reducing negative attitudes and discrimination toward individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). In Israel, the Equal in Uniform project makes it possible for individuals with ID to serve alongside soldiers without ID in ordinary military units in the Israeli Defense Forces. The project provided the opportunity to examine the effect of contact on the attitudes of soldiers without ID.

METHODS

Data analyses are based on data collected from 220 soldiers without ID via a self-administered questionnaire based on the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale. Of these, 138 were in contact with soldiers with ID as part of the project.

RESULTS

A mediation model showed that the impact of contact with a soldier with ID on withdrawal behaviour was mediated by cognitive attributions and negative affect. Contact was directly associated with prosocial behaviour.

DISCUSSION

Results support the importance of contact between soldiers with and without ID to bring about improved attitudes toward the former.