The 1987 attitudes of male and female high school students toward individuals with mental retardation were compared with attitudes from 1998. Results obtained from a multidimensional inventory indicate that positive shifts in attitude were small, occurred slowly and were related to specific dimensions of attitudes. In both years, female respondents indicated more positive attitudes toward being in close physical and social proximity to individuals with mental retardation and indicated less agreement with derogatory beliefs/ statements about those individuals. Male responses over the 11 years indicated an increase in positive attitudes toward integration issues and slightly less agreement with the civil rights issues. Ramifications for curriculum reform are addressed within the context of these gender differences.
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