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Assessing community attitudes toward mentally retarded persons.
American Journal of Mental Deficiency
|September 1, 1979
Summary
Community acceptance of individuals with intellectual disabilities may differ from survey responses. This study examined attitudes toward a potential group home, revealing differences between perceived threat and control groups.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Disability Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Previous research indicates discrimination against individuals with intellectual disabilities in areas like employment and housing.
- However, attitude surveys often suggest general community acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the discrepancy between reported discrimination and survey-based acceptance of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- To compare community attitudes toward a potential group home in a 'threat' versus a 'nonthreat' scenario.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to two groups: a 'threat' group living near a property suitable for a group home, and a 'nonthreat' control group.
- Responses concerning attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities were analyzed comparatively between and within the groups.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in attitudes were found between the 'threat' and 'nonthreat' groups.
- The study highlights potential biases in survey methodologies when assessing public opinion on community integration for people with intellectual disabilities.
Conclusions:
- The perceived proximity of a group home influences community attitudes, challenging the generalizability of broad acceptance findings.
- Results suggest a need for targeted public education initiatives to address specific community concerns and improve the validity of research on intellectual disability acceptance.