title: The relationship between awareness of intellectual disability, causal and intervention beliefs and social distance in Kuwait and the UK.
abstract: Evidence on lay beliefs and stigma associated with intellectual disability in an Arab context is almost non-existent. This study examined awareness of intellectual disability, causal and intervention beliefs and social distance in Kuwait. These were compared to a UK sample to examine differences in lay conceptions across cultures. 537 university students in Kuwait and 571 students in the UK completed a web-based survey asking them to respond to a diagnostically unlabelled vignette of a man presenting with symptoms of mild intellectual disability. They rated their agreement with 22 causal items as possible causes for the difficulties depicted in the vignette, the perceived helpfulness of 22 interventions, and four social distance items using a 7-point Likert scale. Only 8% of Kuwait students, yet 33% of UK students identified possible intellectual disability in the vignette. Medium to large differences between the two samples were observed on seven of the causal items, and 10 of the intervention items. Against predictions, social distance did not differ. Causal beliefs mediated the relationship between recognition of intellectual disability and social distance, but their mediating role differed by sample. The findings are discussed in relation to cultural practices and values, and in relation to attribution theory. In view of the apparent positive effect of awareness of the symptoms of intellectual disability on social distance, both directly and through the mediating effects of causal beliefs, promoting increased awareness of intellectual disability and inclusive practices should be a priority, particularly in countries such as Kuwait where it appears to be low.
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6HB, UK. Electronic address: k.scior@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scior
authors.forename: Aseel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamid
authors.forename: Abdessatar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mahfoudhi
authors.forename: Fauzia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abdalla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D007730:Kuwait; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011639:Public Opinion; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D057545:Social Stigma; D013240:Stereotyping; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Arab; Attitudes; Awareness; Beliefs; Culture; Intellectual disability; Public; Stigma