Attitudes toward people with disabilities: the perspective of attachment theory.
OBJECTIVE
Attachment theory was employed as the theoretical framework for the purpose of examining attitudes toward people with disabilities.


METHODS
A total of 404 Jewish Israeli students without disabilities completed the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS) and the Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR).


RESULTS
Reading a scenario about an encounter with a person with a disability gave rise to more negative emotions than reading a similar scenario about an encounter with a person without a disability, regardless of participants' attachment orientations. However, attachment orientations moderated participants' positive cognitions and distancing behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest a dynamic process of self-regulation when reacting to a written scenario about people with disabilities. This process consists of an initial spontaneous negative emotional response accompanied by compensatory positive cognitions and behavioral tendencies.
Vilchinsky
Noa
N
Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 52900, Israel. noav18@inter.net.il
Findler
Liora
L
Werner
Shirli
S
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D009769:Object Attachment; D011287:Prejudice; D055815:Young Adult