Perceptions Toward Persons with ADHD: Exploring the Relationship Between Intergroup Contact, Honesty-Humility, Accommodations and Attitudes

Name: Marielle Mason
Major: Psychology
Advisor: Dr. Amber Garcia (advisor), Dr. Grit Herzmann (second reader)
This study investigated college students’ attitudes towards people with ADHD and their relationship to intergroup contact, personality, attitudes towards educational accommodations. Participants were asked to complete an online survey which included four modified measures: Contact with Disabled Persons Scale (CDP), Attitudes Towards Disabled Persons Scale (ATDP), General Attitudes Toward College Educational Accommodation Scale, and the HEXACO. Based on previous literature, it was hypothesized that individuals with higher intergroup contact with persons with ADHD and individuals with a higher honesty-humility score would have more positive general attitudes towards persons with ADHD. Additionally, I hypothesized that increased intergroup contact and higher honesty-humility scores would be positively correlated with positive attitudes towards academic accommodations for individuals with ADHD. The linear regression results did not support the hypotheses. However, there were significant predictor variables within each model. Honesty-humility was a significant predictor of attitudes towards persons with ADHD and intergroup contact was a significant predictor of attitudes towards educational accommodations. These results reflect the existing literature as well as suggest that further research is necessary to fully understand the relationship between disability attitudes, accommodations, intergroup contact, and honesty-humility.

Marielle will be online to field comments on April 16:
noon-2pm EDT (PST: 9-11am, Africa/Europe: early evening)

Posted in I.S. Symposium 2021, Independent Study on April 9, 2021.