AUTHOR=Domagała-Zyśk Ewa 

TITLE=Attitudes of Different Age Groups Toward People With Intellectual Disability During the COVID-19 Pandemic

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.591707

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2021.591707

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> The COVID-19 pandemic has been particularly risky for people with disabilities and severe medical conditions, not only because the virus may be a direct threat to their physical health but also because of social exclusion and negating their needs and rights.</p><p><bold>Objective:</bold> This study aimed to assess the attitudes of people from different age groups towards people with intellectual disability (ID).</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> The study included 223 people (19–85 years old) and was conducted in May 2020–January 2021. Data was collected using the <italic>Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Towards Persons With Disabilities</italic> and a self-designed <italic>Questionnaire regarding the attitudes towards people with ID during the pandemic</italic>. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24 (ANOVA).</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The results of the study showed that the general attitudes were only slightly supportive and differed among people of different age groups: the youngest and the oldest generation expressed the most positive attitudes while the adults (35–60 y.o.) expressed the most negative ones.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> As the pandemic is spreading rapidly with no definitive solution, awareness to create more positive attitudes towards people with ID and recognizing their needs is essential.</p>