The Attitudes of Israeli Adolescents Toward Handicapped People

The attitudes of adolescents toward handicapped people were investigated with the long-term goal of maximizing the effective mainstreaming of handicapped teeangers. Analysis of the attitudes of 262 Israeli high school students showed a generalized accepting tendency. Significant differences emerged, not with regard to the type of handicap as had been expected, but for three content areas defined as limitations of the handicapped, feelings of reservation and shame, and the rights of the handicapped. There were significant differences between the sexes in general acceptance and in two of these content areas. Implications of the results in terms of intervention programming are discussed.