The Effects of Integration on the Attitudes of Non-disabled Pupils to their Disabled Peers

Summary Positive attitudes towards children with disabilities are vital for success in integration (Gilfoyle and Gliner, 1985). In this study, the attitudes of pupils at an integrated and non-integrated school were investigated using the Chedoke-McMaster Attitudes Towards Children with Handicaps scale (Rosebaum et al , 1986). This questionnaire is based on a three-dimensional model of attitudes and contains affective, behavioural intent and cognitive components. The relationship between gender and attitude was also investigated. Results showed that pupils at the integrated school had significantly more positive attitudes to their disabled peers than those at the non-integrated school. At the non-integrated school, those pupils with a disabled relative or friend outside school were found to have more positive attitudes than those without. Gender was not found to be a significant determinant of attitude. Factor analysis revealed that children's attitudes to their disabled peers are influenced mainly by the affective and behavioural dimensions of attitude.