Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026

Involving Individuals with Developmental Language Disorder and Their Parents/Carers in Research Priority Setting
Published on: June 6, 2020
The effect of parental intellectual disability status on child protection service worker decision making
1Department of Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
Background:
There is evidence to suggest that parents with an intellectual disability (ID) constitute a higher proportion of child-protective services (CPS) cases than would be expected based on the prevalence of ID in the general population. Researchers have suggested that the stereotypic assumptions and expectations that CPS workers have about parents with an ID might influence decisions and responses made to such parents. This study examined whether parental ID (having an ID vs. not) had an effect on CPS workers' emotional reactions, attributions and decisions about risk to the child, whether to remove the child and workers' general willingness to help the parent.
Method:
Two hundred and twelve CPS workers read vignettes describing parents who were labelled as either having or not having an ID. Workers responded to the vignettes by making ratings of their emotional reactions, attributions and decisions regarding risk, removal and helping.
Results:
CPS workers made significantly higher ratings of pity, willingness to help and risk for parents with an ID than for parents without an ID. Lower ratings of anger and disgust were found for parents with an ID than for parents without an ID. Parents' intellectual status did not have a direct effect on workers' attributions or removal decisions.
Conclusions:
The results show evidence for the influence of stereotypes regarding parental ID due to its differential effect on CPS workers' emotional reactions and decisions about child risk and their willingness to help.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Intellectual Disability
Influence of Parents and Peers on Identity
Parental Influence on Identity Development
Parents serve as primary guides and managers in an adolescent's life, offering support instrumental in decision-making and personal growth. This guiding role...
Environmental Influences on Intelligence
Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
Information Processing Approach
Adler's Individual Psychology

