The positive impact of knowledge and quality of contact on university students’ attitudes towards people with intellectual disability in the Arab world

Abstract

BackgroundThis study examines undergraduate students’ attitudes towards people with intellectual disability (PWID) in relation to their frequency of contact with people with intellectual disability, the quality of this contact, and their knowledge of intellectual disability (ID). MethodThe study sample comprised 1001 undergraduate students (458 male students [46 %]; 543 female students [54 %]; mean age = 20.6 years) from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. The Arabic version of the Mental Retardation Attitude Inventory–Revised (MRAI-R) was used to examine attitudes towards PWID. ResultsKnowledge about ID, quality of contact with PWID, and gender were significant predictors of attitudes. Frequency of contact, as well as having relatives with a disability, were not significant predictors of attitudes. No differences were found between participants from the two countries. ConclusionThe results of the study indicate that high-quality contact is a major predictor of students’ attitudes. Therefore, society needs to ensure more than just simple forms of contact between people with and without disabilities.