Paralympics and the transformation of attitudes toward intellectual - - PDF document

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Paralympics and the transformation

• f attitudes toward intellectual and

developmental disability

Kelly Carr1 Laura Misener2 Sean Horton1 Patricia Weir1

1University of Windsor 2Western University

§ Affects approximately 1% of the global population1,2 § Characterized by deficits in cognitive abilities and adaptive functioning3

1Maulik et al. (2011) 2McKenzie et al. (2016) 3American Psychiatric Association (2013)

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It is not the individual’s impairment that is disabling, rather the society in which the individual dwells.4 Alteration of social structures (assumptions and resources) that drive human action.5 Assumptions of disability can be altered when exposed to individuals with disability acting in ways that challenge common perceptions.5

4Union of the Physical Impaired Against Segregation (1976) 5Giddens (1984)

§ facilitate and/or inhibit actions based on the possibilities individuals can envision for themselves.5,6

5Giddens (1984) 6Metcalfe (1993)

Social Structures Actions of Individuals

Resources Assumptions ↑ exposure to individuals acting

• utside of dominant social structures

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International Paralympic Committee (n.d.)

§ Viewing Paralympic media coverage improved attitudes towards people with impairment Similar attitudinal change when viewing comparable footage of able-bodied Olympic athletes

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To examine the impact of viewing media coverage of Para- athletes showcasing their athletic strengths during the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games on attitudes toward people with .

n = 90 n = 90

Experimental

n = 45

Control

n = 45

Control

n = 45

Experimental

n = 45

Random Assignment Random Assignment

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Experimental Control

Random Assignment

Experimental Control

Random Assignment QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION (T1)

Intervention: Paralympic Media Coverage Intervention: Olympic Media Coverage Intervention: Paralympic Media Coverage Intervention: Olympic Media Coverage

12 Days QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION (T2)

§ development and validation phase § 20 items answered with 6-point Likert scale § Example item: “Disabled people are the same as anyone else”

10/16/17 6 Attitudes toward disability Attitudes toward disability

Employment Physical Activity Elite Sport

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Paralympics and the transformation

• f attitudes toward intellectual and

developmental disability

Kelly Carr1 Laura Misener2 Sean Horton1 Patricia Weir1

1University of Windsor 2Western University

Kelly Carr carrk@uwindsor.ca