Attitudes of Undergraduate Students Toward Persons With Disabilities: Exploring Effects of Contact Experience on Social Distance Across Ten Disability Types

Abstract

Attitudes toward individuals with disabilities have been one of the most important and focal topics in disability studies. However, most studies have either treated disability in a broad sense without distinguishing disability type or have been limited to one specific disability type. Drawing upon a social distance scale, the study was designed to examine undergraduate students’ perceptions toward 10 different disability types and across a range of social contexts. Utilizing intergroup contact theory, an analysis was performed to determine how these responses were affected by contact experience with persons with disability. Results show that contact experience was statistically significant for six of 10 disability types. Specifically, across all disabilities, regular contact was related to decreased social distance, with the notable exception of autism. Attendant conclusions about stigma hierarchies and implications for research and practice are discussed.