Attitudes toward Minority Learning Handicapped Children as A function of Differential Labeling

Abstract

An investigation was undertaken to ascertain whether the attitudinal dimensions relevant to Black children and mentally retarded children were germane to professional attitudes towards Mexican American children and minority learning handicapped children. This was accomplished by extrapolating from a scale on attitudes towards Black children and mentally retarded children to similar measures of attitudes towards Mexican American children and minority learning handicapped children. Results validated the minority learning handicapped construct. However, contrary to current professional beliefs, subjects of this investigation perceived minority learning handicapped children favorably over racial minority children and mentally retarded children.