Attitudes Toward Retarded Children: Effects of Evaluator's Psychological Adjustment and Age

Gottlieb, J. (1969). Attitudes Toward Retarded Children: Effects of Evaluator's Psychological Adjustment and Age. Scand. J. Educ. Res. 13, 170182. Norwegian school children between the ages of 810, 1012, 1214, and 1416 were divided into high and low adjustment groups on the basis of discrepancy scores between their ideal self and self scores on the semantic differential. It was hypothesized that the high adjustment group would report more favorable attitudes toward the retarded than the low adjustment group, and that attitudes would remain relatively stable with increased age. Both hypotheses were confirmed. The results were interpreted as supporting Rogers’ theory. Possible explanations for the overall favorable attitudes by the Norwegian Ss were also discussed.