Anxiety, attitudes, and sex roles of male college students in a "Buddy Program" for persons with disabilities.

This study measured the anxiety, attitudes toward people with disabilities, and sex roles of a sample of undergraduate men attending a military college in the southeast (n=58). Students who had voluntarily participated in the college's "Buddy Program," in which the students interact on a weekly basis with people with mental, physical, and emotional disabilities, were compared with peers who had had limited or no such contact. Data analysis showed no significant differences in androgyny and attitudes toward people with disabilities between the two groups. However, there was a significant difference in anxiety when interacting with persons with disabilities. Correlational analyses showed that scores indicating lower general anxiety and lower anxiety specific to interacting with persons with disabilities were significantly correlated with attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Implications for recruiting and training male volunteers to work with persons who have disabilities are discussed.