2 research outputs found
Attitudes of undergraduate students towards persons with disabilities; the role of the need for social approval
The purpose of this study was a diagnosis of the attitudes of students of Warsaw universities towards people with
disabilities and the variables which impacted on these attitudes. Additionally, we examined the relationship between the
need for social approval and explicit attitudes towards people with disabilities. The study focused on two components of
attitudes: behavioural (measured by preferable social distance – SDSB) and cognitive (tested with a semantic differential
scale – SDSO). 318 students completed a survey including a demographic sheet, a social desirability scale, the SDSB
and SDSO. The results indicate that students expressed positive attitudes towards people with disabilities. The impact of
such variables as gender, the type of disability and the need for social approval was registered and were differentiated in
regard to components of attitudes. The results are discussed with reference to earlier research and cues for further studies
are suggested