![[PDF]](/pb-assets/Icons/adobe-pdf-icon-1498649896243.png){kind=icon}
Abstract
This research uses contact theory to examine the impact of a service learning class on college students’ attitudes toward people with disabilities. Students were involved in both lecture material and working directly with people with disabilities in a therapeutic camp environment. Eighty-four students responded to the questionnaires at three time periods over the course of the semester. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and mixed-model ANOVA were performed to study the changes in students’ attitudes. The results indicate that there was a change in attitudes after 12 weeks of course instruction and between the beginning of class and after the camp experience. Also, gender and academic major were found to have had little impact on students’ attitudes toward people with disabilities. Implications and limitations of this research are discussed and thoughts for future research are addressed.
References
Section:
|
Adrian, S. E. (1997). Disability, society, and ethical issues: A first-year experience for university students. Intervention in School and Clinic, 32, 178-184. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Ahlborn, L. J., Panek, P. E., Jungers, M. K. (2008). College students’ perceptions of persons with intellectual disability at three different ages. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 29, 61-69. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Allport, G. W. (1954). The nature of prejudice. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Google Scholar | |
|
Amir, Y. (1969). Contact hypothesis in ethnic relations. Psychological Bulletin, 71, 319-342. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Antonak, R. F. (1982). Development and psychometric analysis of the scale of attitudes toward disabled persons. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 13(2), 22-29. Google Scholar | |
|
Antonak, R. F. (1992). Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons (SADP) Form R. Durham: University of New Hampshire. Google Scholar | |
|
Association for Experiential Education . (n.d.). What is experiential education? Retrieved from http://www.aee.org/about/whatIsEE Google Scholar | |
|
Astin, A. W., Sax, L. J. (1998). How undergraduates are affected by service participation. Journal of College Student Development, 39, 251-263. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Bedini, L. A. (2000). “Just sit down so we can talk”: Perceived stigma and community recreation pursuits of people with disabilities. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 34(1). 55-68. Google Scholar | |
|
Brannan, S. A., Fullerton, A., Arick, J. R., Robb, G. M., Bender, M. (2003). Including youth with disabilities in outdoor programs: Best practices, outcomes, and resources. Champaign, IL: Sagamore. Google Scholar | |
|
Bringle, R. G., Hatcher, J. A. (1996). Implementing service learning in higher education. Journal of Higher Education, 67, 221-239. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
The Camp Koinonia . (n.d.). Welcome. Available from http://thecampkoinonia.com/ Google Scholar | |
|
Caspi, A. (1984). Contact hypothesis and inter-age attitudes: A field study of cross-age contact. Social Psychology Quarterly, 47, 74-80. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Cook, S. W. (1985). Experimenting on social issues: The case of school desegregation. American Psychologist, 40, 452-460. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Daugherty, A. L., Russo, M. F. (2011). An assessment of the lasting effects of a stand-alone information literacy course: The students’ perspective. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 37, 319-326. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Dovidio, J. F., Gaertner, S. L., Kawakami, K. (2003). Intergroup contact: The past, present, and the future. Group Processes Intergroup Relations, 6, 5-21. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Eichinger, J., Rizzo, T., Sirotnik, B. (1991). Changing attitudes toward people with disabilities. Teacher Education and Special Education, 14, 121-126. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Ellison, C. G., Powers, D. A. (1994). The contact hypothesis and racial attitudes among black Americans. Social Science Quarterly, 75, 385-400. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Ellison, C. G., Shin, H., Leal, D. L. (2011). The contact hypothesis and attitudes toward Latinos in the United States. Social Science Quarterly, 92, 938-958. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Flannery, D., Ward, K. (1999). Service learning: A vehicle for developing cultural competence in health education. American Journal of Health Behavior, 23, 323-331. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Galvan, C., Parker, M. (2011). Investigating the reciprocal nature of service-learning in physical education teacher education. Journal of Experiential Education, 34, 55-70. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Hastings, R. P., Hewes, A., Lock, S., Witting, A. (1996). Do special education needs courses have any impact on student teachers’ perceptions of children with severe learning difficulties? British Journal of Special Education, 23, 139-144. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
Hergenrather, K., Rhodes, S. (2007). Exploring undergraduate student attitudes toward persons with disabilities: Application of the Disability Social Relationship Scale. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 50, 66-75. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Hornibrook, T. (1997). Camp integration and staff training: The crucial link. Journal of Leisurability, 24(2), 37-42. Google Scholar | |
|
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall. Google Scholar | |
|
Kolodziej, M. E., Johnson, B. T. (1996). Interpersonal contact and acceptance of persons with psychiatric disorders: A research synthesis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 1387-1396. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Krajewski, J., Flaherty, T. (2000). Attitudes of high school students toward individuals with mental retardation. Mental Retardation, 38, 154-162. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | |
|
Lee, B. A., Farrell, C. R., Link, B. G. (2004). Revisiting the contact hypothesis: The case of public exposure to homelessness. American Sociological Review, 69, 40-63. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Maras, P., Brown, R. (1996). Effects of contact on children’s attitudes toward disability: A longitudinal study. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 26, 2113-2134. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
McDougall, J., DeWit, D. J., King, G., Miller, L. T., Killip, S. (2004). High school-aged youths’ attitudes toward their peers with disabilities: The role of school and student interpersonal factors. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 51, 287-313. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
McQuilkin, J. I., Freitag, C. B., Harris, J. L. (1990). Attitudes of college students toward handicapped persons. Journal of College Student Development, 31(1), 17-22. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Meaney, K. S., Bohler, H. R., Kopf, K., Hernandez, L., Scott, L. T. (2008). Service-learning and pre-service educators’ cultural competence for teaching: An exploratory study. Journal of Experiential Education, 31, 189-208. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Meyer, L., Gouvier, W. D., Duke, M., Advokat, C. (2001). Influence of social context on reported attitudes of nondisabled students toward students with disabilities. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 45, 50-52. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Moely, B. E., McFarland, M., Miron, D., Mercer, S., Ilustre, V. (2002). Changes in college students’ attitudes and intentions for civic involvement as a function of service-learning experiences. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 9, 18-26. Google Scholar | |
|
Musso, M. W., Barker, A. A., Proto, D. A., Gouvier, W. D. (2012). College students’ conceptualizations of deficits involved in mild intellectual disability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 33, 224-228. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Nosse, L. J., Gavin, K. J. (1991). Influence of direct contact on college students’ attitudes toward adults with mental handicaps. College Student Journal, 25(2), 201-206. Google Scholar | |
|
Oliver, M. (1993). Social work: Disabled people and disabling environments. London, England: Kingsley. Google Scholar | |
|
Palmer, G. A., Redinius, P. L., Tervo, R. C. (2000). An examination of attitudes toward disabilities among college students: Rural and urban differences. Journal of Rural Community Psychology, E3(1). Retrieved from http://www.marshall.edu/jrcp/Vole31/palmer.html Google Scholar | |
|
Paschall, M. J., Antin, T., Ringwalt, C. L., Saltz, R. F. (2011). Evaluation of an Internet-based alcohol misuse prevention course for college freshmen: Findings of a randomized multi-campus trial. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 41, 300-308. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Pate, J. R. (2011). Defining disability: An autoethnography on the lived experiences of a person with cerebral palsy. Aigne. Retrieved from http://publish.ucc.ie/aigne/2011/01/pate/02/en Google Scholar | |
|
Perry, T., Ivy, M., Conner, A., Shelar, D. (2008). Recreation student attitudes towards persons with disabilities: Considerations for future service delivery. The Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism, 7(2), 4-14. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Pettigrew, T. F. (1998). Intergroup contact theory. Annual Review of Psychology, 49, 65-85. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Pettigrew, T. F., Tropp, L. R. (2000). Does intergroup contact reduce prejudice? Recent meta-analytic findings. In Oskamp, S. (Ed.), Reducing prejudice and discrimination (pp. 93-114). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum. Google Scholar | |
|
Powers, D. A., Ellison, C. G. (1995). Interracial contact and black racial attitudes: The contact hypothesis and selectivity bias. Social Forces, 74, 205-226. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI | |
|
Rice, C. J. (2009). Attitudes of undergraduate students toward people with intellectual disabilities: Considerations for future policy makers. College Student Journal, 43(1), 207-215. Google Scholar | |
|
Roman, M., Medvedev, K. (2011). The importance of peer approval in the sartorial purchasing patterns of the University of Georgia students. College Student Journal, 45(1), 164-176. Google Scholar | |
|
Rothstein, M. A., Martinez, S. A., McKinney, W. P. (2002). Using established medical criteria to define disability: A proposal to amend the Americans with Disabilities Act. Washington University Law Quarterly, 80, 243-298. Google Scholar | |
|
Scior, K. (2011). Public awareness, attitudes and beliefs regarding intellectual disability: A systematic review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 32, 2164-2182. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Seaman, J. (2008). Experience, reflect, critique: The end of the “learning cycles” era. Journal of Experiential Education, 31, 3-18. Google Scholar | Abstract | |
|
Seaman, J., Beightol, J., Shrilla, P., Crawford, B. (2010). Contact theory as a framework for experiential activities as diversity education: An exploratory study. Journal of Experiential Education, 32, 207-225. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | |
|
Seifer, S. D., Connors, K. (Eds.). (2007). Community Campus Partnerships for Health: Faculty Toolkit for Service-Learning in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://ccsr.ku.edu/sites/csl.drupal.ku.edu/files/docs/HE_toolkit_with_worksheets-4.pdf Google Scholar | |
|
Shannon, C. D., Schoen, B., Tansey, T. N. (2009). The effect of contact, context, and social power on undergraduate attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Journal of Rehabilitation, 75(4), 11-18. Google Scholar | ISI | |
|
Sigmon, R. L. (1979). Service-learning: Three principles. Synergist (National Center for Service-Learning). ACTION, 8(1), 9-11. Google Scholar | |
|
Tervo, R. C., Azuma, S., Palmer, G., Redinius, P. (2002). Medical students’ attitudes toward persons with disability: A comparative study. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 83, 1537-1542. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Tervo, R. C., Palmer, G. (2004). Health professional student attitudes towards people with disability. Clinical Rehabilitation, 18, 908-915. Google Scholar | SAGE Journals | ISI | |
|
Titchkosky, T. (2001). Disability: A rose by any other name? People-first language in Canadian society. The Canadian Review of Sociology & Anthropology, 38, 125-140. Google Scholar | Crossref | |
|
U.S. Census Bureau . (2012). Nearly 1 in 5 people have a disability in the U.S., Census Bureau reports. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb12-134.html Google Scholar | |
|
Vonofakou, C., Hewstone, M., Voci, A. (2007). Contact with out-group friends as a predictor of meta-attitudinal strength and accessibility of attitudes toward gay men. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92, 804-820. Google Scholar | Crossref | Medline | ISI | |
|
Watson, G. (1947). Action for unity. New York, NY: Harper. Google Scholar | |
|
Williams, R. M. (1947). The reduction of intergroup tensions: A survey of research on ethnic, racial, and religious group tensions (Bulletin No. 57). New York, NY: Social Science Research Council. Google Scholar | |
|
Wood, P. B., Bartkowski, J. P. (2004). Attribution style and public policy attitudes toward gay rights. Social Science Quarterly, 85, 58-74. Google Scholar | Crossref | ISI |
