Children's Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions Toward a Peer with Tourette Syndrome

Abstract

Examined children's ratings of attitudes and behavioral intentions toward a boy presented, on videotape, with or without symptoms of Tourette syndrome (TS). Effects of information about TS on these ratings were investigated as well as the influence of gender and grade. Children in Grades 3 and 5 were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: No TS, TS, or TS/information. On the attitude measure, children rated the peer presented with TS less positively than they did the peer presented without TS. On behavioral intention measures, no significant differences were found between conditions. Information about TS did not affect ratings. Implications of these findings as well as limitations of the study are discussed.