Chinese college students’ attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities: differences by study major, gender, contact, and knowledge

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between college students’ attitudes toward inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) by field of study, gender, age, personal contact, and knowledge of ID. One hundred and forty students from a university of education and 136 medical students from another university took part in the study. Independent t-tests showed that gender had a main effect on students’ attitudes toward inclusion. Female students expressed more positive attitudes than male students. Study major was not a factor affecting college students’ attitudes toward inclusion. There was a mild positive association between attitudes toward integration and one’s contact and knowledge regarding ID. More studies need to be conducted to understand the relationship between people’s attitudes toward inclusion and knowledge and contact of ID through constructing a new instrument for understanding in depth on participants’ knowledge and contact.