Explicit and implicit attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities: The role of contact and participant demographics

Adolescents' implicit and explicit attitudes toward their peers with genetic conditions

INTRODUCTION

Previous research has demonstrated that children lacking knowledge about genetic disorders may have harmful attitudes toward people with disabilities, but disability awareness can successfully modify these attitudes. We explored adolescents' implicit and explicit attitudes toward peers with genetic conditions to determine whether improved genetics/genomics literacy can mitigate the impact of ableism in this population.

METHODS

English-speaking adolescents (10-18 years) from British Columbia were invited to complete a Disability Attitudes Implicit Association Test (DA-IAT) and participate in a semi-structured focus group centering on a fictionalized vignette about an adolescent with Down syndrome. We used pragmatism as an analytical paradigm. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze DA-IAT and sociodemographic data; phronetic iterative analysis with constant comparison as a coding strategy for transcripts; and interpretive description to develop a conceptual model.

RESULTS

Twenty-two adolescents completed the DA-IAT and participated in one of four focus groups. Participants had a statistically significant implicit preference for non-disabled people (D-score = 0.72, SD = 0.44; t = 7.18, p < .00001). They demonstrated greater diversity in their explicit attitudes during the focus groups. Although participants articulated a positive attitude toward improved genetics education, results demonstrate their belief that social and personal interactions with disabled peers would be essential to address negative perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

This study lays important groundwork to understand, explain, and influence the negative attitudes of adolescents toward individuals with disabilities. Findings will be used to inform the design of interventions that address biased perceptions of people with genetic disorders, with the goal of reducing prejudices and improving social interactions.

Profiles of Peer-Rejected Individuals: Their Attitudes toward the Intellectual Disability Population and the Mediating Role of Resilience

Literature shows that public perceptions toward people with intellectual disability (ID) tend to be negative, perhaps more so than toward any other population with disabilities, causing severe consequences on the quality of life of these people. Understanding factors associated with these attitudes may contribute to better integration of the ID population into society. This study focuses on the predictive role of school-age peer rejection and contemporaneous familial support on attitudes toward people with ID. Specifically, it aims to identify distinct profiles of people who experienced peer rejection during their school years and who experienced various levels of familial support during the rejection period, and to examine the disparities between these profiles regarding attitudes toward people with ID. An additional goal is to examine whether resilience can mediate the association between profiles of peer-rejected individuals and their attitudes toward individuals with ID. The research sample comprised 1063 Israeli adults reporting various levels of peer rejection during school years. Cluster analysis revealed two profiles of peer-rejected individuals that significantly differ in the level of familial support provided in the face of peer rejection. In accordance with the hypotheses, attitudes of peer-rejected individuals with poor familial support were more negative than those with high familial support and the mediating effect of resilience was significant. Findings emphasize the protective role of familial support in the face of peer rejection, contributing to the emerging literature that deals with the long-term effects of peer rejection and poor resiliency resources on negative attitudes toward out-groups.

Infusing intellectual and Developmental disability training into Medical School curriculum: a Pilot intervention

PURPOSE

Despite the rising prevalence of developmental disabilities (DD) in the US, there remains insufficient training for healthcare professionals to care for this medically underserved population - particularly adults. The National Inclusive Curriculum for Health Education (NICHE) aims to improve attitudes and knowledge towards people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDD); herein we describe one such intervention.

METHOD

The intervention integrated didactic, panel presentation and clinical skills components into a 2nd year medical school curriculum.  The didactic session, covering  health and assessment of PWIDDs, history of IDD, stigma, etc., was co-taught by a developmental pediatrician, family medicine physician and social worker.  A panel of 3 adult self-advocates (SAs) with DD and a parent of a child with DD spoke about their lived experiences.  One week later, students practiced taking clinical histories of SAs within small group settings with adult PWIDDs, facilitated by medical school faculty. Students completed the NICHE Knowledge(49 items) and Attitudes (60 items) surveys. The evaluation analyzed pre/post intervention differences in a) knowledge and attitude scores overall and b) by student age, gender, intended medical specialty, and prior experiences with PWIDDs. Open-ended comments were analyzed with content analysis.

RESULTS

Overall Knowledge scores increased from pre-to posttest (n = 85; 65[19] vs. 73[17], p = 0.00), while Attitudes score improved (i.e., decreased) (n = 88; 0.55 [.06] vs. 0.53 [0.06]); p = 0.00).  Higher pretest knowledge was found among female identified students (vs. others; p = 0.01) and those knowing > = 5 PWIDD (vs < 5; p = 0.02).  Students characterize their IDD training and experience prior to intervention as 'lacking' and described the sessions as effective.

CONCLUSIONS

A brief (4 hours total) intervention was associated with modest but significant improved knowledge and attitudes towards PWIDDs. Replication and sustainability of this and other NICHE interventions are needed to fill gaps in PWIDDs' health care.

Factors associated with workers' attitudes towards employment of persons with intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Persons with intellectual disabilities have the right to pursue and acquire gainful employment and thereby obtain the psychological, social and economic benefits derived from employment.

AIMS

This study aimed to examine workers' attitudes towards and perspectives with respect to the challenges of employing persons with intellectual disabilities.

METHOD

The sample was composed of 168 persons (60% male). Participants responded to a questionnaire that assessed their attitudes towards working with persons with intellectual disabilities (ATWQ) and a challenges questionnaire (CHQ).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

This study found that familiarity (frequency of contact) and having a previous work experience with someone with an intellectual disability were positively associated with workers' attitudes towards employing persons with intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, owners and supervisors were more reluctant to accept the practice of employing persons with intellectual disabilities than were employees. No differences were found by gender. Implications based on the findings are discussed herein.

Attitudes Toward People With Intellectual Disability Associated With Integrated Sport Participation

Direct, meaningful contact with people with intellectual disability, such as through integrated sport, may be related to positive attitudes. The current study aimed to compare implicit (unconscious) and explicit (conscious) attitudes between adults involved in integrated sport events and those in a comparison group who were not and examine the association between attitudes and degree of integrated sport involvement. An online survey measuring attitudes was completed by 295 adults without intellectual disability who participated in integrated sport activities and 450 adults who did not. Individuals involved in integrated sport reported less negative behavioral and affective attitudes relative to the comparison group, with mixed results for cognitive attitudes. Groups did not differ on implicit attitudes. Greater integrated sport involvement was related to some aspects of explicit attitudes. Involvement in integrated sport may be linked to how participants view intellectual disability, which has important implications for enhancing social inclusion and informing positive attitudes.

The positive impact of knowledge and quality of contact on university students' attitudes towards people with intellectual disability in the Arab world

BACKGROUND

This study examines undergraduate students' attitudes towards people with intellectual disability (PWID) in relation to their frequency of contact with people with intellectual disability, the quality of this contact, and their knowledge of intellectual disability (ID).

METHOD

The study sample comprised 1001 undergraduate students (458 male students [46 %]; 543 female students [54 %]; mean age = 20.6 years) from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The Arabic version of the Mental Retardation Attitude Inventory-Revised (MRAI-R) was used to examine attitudes towards PWID.

RESULTS

Knowledge about ID, quality of contact with PWID, and gender were significant predictors of attitudes. Frequency of contact, as well as having relatives with a disability, were not significant predictors of attitudes. No differences were found between participants from the two countries.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study indicate that high-quality contact is a major predictor of students' attitudes. Therefore, society needs to ensure more than just simple forms of contact between people with and without disabilities.

Intellectual disability literacy and its connection to stigma: A multinational comparison study in three European countries

Article 8 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities requires governments around the globe to raise awareness on issues of disability in their societies, combatting stereotypes, prejudices and harmful practices. Little comparative data is available on lay people's social representations of intellectual disability and associated stigma, which could inform actions in line with the convention. The present study compared intellectual disability literacy and stigma among adults in the general population in the UK, Austria and Germany (N = 1046), and examined the effects of providing an intellectual disability label on these outcomes. Although participants came from highly developed European countries and prior contact with people with intellectual disabilities was common, the findings pointed to some striking differences between countries. Participants in Austria and Germany were much less likely than those in the UK to identify symptoms of a possible intellectual disability in an unlabelled vignette. They were also much more hostile towards social contact, a difference that was maintained when participants were informed of the intellectual disability label. Labelling showed controversial effects on stigma, both in its effects on social distance and on beliefs about suitable causes and interventions. Overall, the social acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities appears to be much less advanced in Austria and Germany than in the UK, and awareness of intellectual disability much lower, indicating a need for action at societal level.