Eberhardt K, Mayberry W
Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus 43210, USA.
Am J Occup Ther. 1995 Jul-Aug;49(7):629-36. doi: 10.5014/ajot.49.7.629.
Negative attitudes exhibited by rehabilitation professionals could have adverse consequences for persons with disabilities in their achievement of desired outcomes. Because occupational therapists are in a position to exert considerable influence in the therapeutic relationship, this study explored entry-level occupational therapy practitioners' equal status contact with and attitudes toward persons with disabilities. METHOD. Questionnaires were sent to 402 entry-level occupational therapists. These questionnaires consisted of: a demographic scale, the Disability Social Distance Scale, the Contact With Disabled Persons Scale, and a Similarity Scale (constructed for this study to evaluate the concept of equal status). Data analysis explored the relationship between 172 respondents' equal status perception and contact with persons with disabilities and their attitudes toward persons with disabilities. RESULTS. Respondents exhibited generally positive attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Perceived equality, personal and professional contact, and the majority of demographic factors were not significantly correlated with their attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Respondents who specified working with persons without disabilities in the wellness capacity exhibited more positive attitudes than those working with persons with biomechanical and neurological disabilities. In addition, respondents who had a greater frequency of professional contact with persons with disabilities also appeared to experience more personal contact with persons with disabilities. CONCLUSION. Entry-level occupational therapists' attitudes toward persons with disabilities may not only be influenced by parameters of the contact variable but also by the profession's holistic philosophy, the occupational therapy educational curricula, and the personal characteristics of those who choose to pursue a career in occupational therapy.
康复专业人员表现出的消极态度可能会对残疾人实现预期成果产生不利影响。由于职业治疗师在治疗关系中能够施加相当大的影响，本研究探讨了入门级职业治疗从业者与残疾人的平等地位接触情况以及他们对残疾人 的态度。方法：向402名入门级职业治疗师发放问卷。这些问卷包括：一份人口统计学量表、残疾社会距离量表、与残疾人接触量表以及一份相似性量表（为本研究构建，用于评估平等地位概念）。数据分析探讨了172名受访者的平等地位认知、与残疾人的接触情况以及他们对残疾人的态度之间的关系。结果：受访者对残疾人总体上表现出积极态度。感知到的平等、个人和专业接触以及大多数人口统计学因素与他们对残疾人的态度没有显著相关性。明确表示以健康护理能力与非残疾人合作的受访者比那些与有生物力学和神经学残疾的人合作的受访者表现出更积极的态度。此外，与残疾人有更频繁专业接触的受访者似乎也与残疾人有更多的个人接触。结论：入门级职业治疗师对残疾人的态度可能不仅受接触变量参数的影响，还受该专业的整体理念、职业治疗教育课程以及选择从事职业治疗职业的人员的个人特征影响。
