The impact of relationships on prejudice towards people with intellectual disabilities

Background: Ongoing deinstitutionalisation has led to the increased integration of people with intellectual disabilities. The current study builds on theories from social psychology to study the relationship between varying forms and quantities of contact with people with intellectual disabilities on perceptions of the warmth and competence, emotions, and endorsement of behavioural responses towards people with intellectual disabilities.

Methods: This study utilised a quantitative online survey that asked participants to report their perceptions of and responses to people with intellectual disabilities in a Likert scale format. Participants (N = 698) were adults who lived in the United Kingdom and did not have intellectual disabilities.

Results: Results suggest that higher quality of contact (not quantity), salience of group membership, direct/indirect friendships with people with intellectual disabilities, family members with intellectual disabilities, and the education level of participants were all associated with more competent and warm perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities. Caregivers appeared to demonstrate a higher level of contemptuous and envious prejudice, while unpaid caregivers seemed to express a higher level of paternalistic prejudice.

Discussion: Positive relationships between quality of contact, salience of group membership, and intergroup friendships on perceptions of warmth and competence are consistent with previous literature. Relationships

between caregiving, perceptions, emotions, and behavioural responses warrant further study due to their potential implications for care and the larger culture.