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

Autor(en)

Ghaleb H. Alnahdi, Ayman Elhadi, Susanne Schwab

Abstrakt

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.

Organisation(en)

Institut für Bildungswissenschaft, Institut für Lehrer*innenbildung

Externe Organisation(en)

Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, North-West University

Journal

Research in Developmental Disabilities

Band

106

Anzahl der Seiten

7

ISSN

0891-4222

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103765

Publikationsdatum

11-2020

Peer-reviewed

Ja

ÖFOS 2012

503034 Inklusive Pädagogik

Schlagwörter

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Clinical Psychology, Developmental and Educational Psychology

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 4 – Hochwertige Bildung

Link zum Portal

https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/de/publications/a20b9f53-8311-41ee-bdf7-f0de598af68e