Attitudes of Nonhandicapped Elementary School Students toward School-Aged Trainable Mentally Retarded Students

Abstract

This study investigated attitudes of nonhandicapped elementary school students toward TMR students in schools where there were TMR classes (TMR integrated) and in schools were there were no TMR classes (nonintegrated). Subjects were administered an attitude survey in which they responded to behaviors (written vignettes) and slides of both normal and TMR students. No statistically significant group difference was found in the attitudes toward TMR students. Both groups gave neutral to slightly positive ratings to TMR. Boys, however, were significantly less positive than were girls, and sixth grade students were less positive than were fourth or fifth grade students. Subjects also responded more positively to the behavioral description alone than to the combination of behavior and slide.