Using attribution theory to examine community rehabilitation provider stigma.
This study builds on existing research investigating the stigma-reducing strategies specific to rehabilitation service providers by comparing differences in education levels and degree of contact among rehabilitation service providers. Rehabilitation service providers with master's level and bachelor level education showed significant differences in their stigmatizing tendencies on subscales of controllability and stability for different categories of disabilities. Specifically, service providers with a master's degree had more stigmatizing beliefs for psychosis and cocaine addiction, compared with service providers with a bachelor's degree. Service providers with either a bachelor's degree or master's degree reported lower levels of stigma overall for five of the six categories of disability compared with their community college student counterparts. No differences were found for length of time working with persons with psychiatric disabilities.
Strauser
David R
DR
Department of Kinesiology Purdue University, Champaign, Illinois, USA. strauser@uiuc.edu
Ciftci
Ayse
A
O'Sullivan
Deirdre
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012046:Rehabilitation / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce; D055815:Young Adult