Attitudinal beliefs towards individuals with disabilities at a metropolitan university: Insights and implications for kinesiology professionals

Abstract

The primary aim of this study was to examine the attitudinal beliefs of college students, faculty, and staff at a public metropolitan university toward individuals with disabilities. This cross-sectional study utilized the Interactions with Disabled Persons Scale to assess current perceptions of individuals with disabilities of students, faculty, and staff (n=138). Independent t-tests and an ANOVA were utilized to examine differences between students and faculty/staff. Results revealed males, individuals with some experience in coursework related to individuals with disabilities, and those with higher volumes of contact with individuals with disabilities displayed lower scores on the IDP. Additional research utilizing a larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings. Importantly, this paper provides evidence of the need for efforts by kinesiology educators to provide curriculum and experiential activities that increase exposure to individuals with disabilities in order to heighten knowledge, lessen discomfort, and ultimately improve the experiences and outcomes of individuals with a disability at metropolitan universities.