The development and psychometric validation of the Disability Attitude Implicit Association Test.

Abstract

and demographics. Results: DA-IAT congruent associations (disability plus negative-nondisabled plus positive) occurred more frequently than incongruent associations (disability plus positive-nondisabled plus negative). DA-IAT had no relationship with the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale, an explicit attitude measure. Demographics did not predict DA-IAT scores. Contact with Disabled Persons Scale was the dominant predictor for the DA-IAT. Conclusions: The DA-IAT has the potential to become a useful measure of implicit group disability attitudes on the basis of experience versus belief.

Implicit attitudes towards children with autism versus normally developing children as predictors of professional burnout and psychopathology

“…As described by Pruett and Chan (2006), when professional carers feel pressure to outwardly express attitudes in line with what is thought to be socially appropriate while attempting to overcome negative biases and assumptions, this can lead to symptoms of burnout and other psychological problems (see Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter 1996). It seems likely that such effects would be most pronounced for thoughts and feelings that are deemed to be negative, as opposed to thoughts and feelings that fail to confirm some level of positivity.…”

“…In line with the research concerning the automaticity of negative attitudes or prejudices (see Pruett & Chan, 2006) and its relationship to behaviour, Akrami et al (2006) acknowledged that any future research on attitudes towards individuals with developmental or intellectual disabilities should focus on ''examining these attitudes' more implicit or automatic function using an experimental design analyzing implicit rather than explicit attitudes'' (p. 615). They suggested that the assessment of attitudes using implicit measures was an important step in understanding what impact the label or social category of people with disabilities has on our implicit attitudes, and furthermore, on our behaviour and social interactions.…”

“…towards clients be gleaned from the fact that with insight into underlying biases, necessary interventions to improve rehabilitation processes and outcomes could be implemented (Pruett & Chan, 2006). The importance of practitioners' awareness of their own potentially negative attitudes toward people with disabilities has also been acknowledged (Pruett & Chan, 2006).…”

“…The importance of practitioners' awareness of their own potentially negative attitudes toward people with disabilities has also been acknowledged (Pruett & Chan, 2006). Although the vast majority of rehabilitation professionals are aware that they should have egalitarian attitudes and behaviours toward their clients, some practitioners may endure personal struggles in that they are outwardly expressing attitudes in line with what is thought to be socially appropriate, while attempting to overcome their own biases and assumptions.…”

“…Although it has been previously acknowledged that clinicians, educators, researchers, and students may possess negative attitudes towards people with disabilities, there has been limited research designed to measure implicit attitudes toward the disabled (Pruett & Chan, 2006). A small number of studies have attempted to measure implicit attitudes to a range of disabilities (Thomas, Doyle, & Vaughan, 2007;Vaughan, Thomas, & Doyle, 2011;White, Jackson, & Gordon, 2006), including attitudes to individuals diagnosed with autism (Barnes-Holmes et al, 2006).…”