This article treats several aspects of attitudes toward disabled individuals and suggests strategies for changing these attitudes. The authors contend that attitudes towards those with disabilities remain negative despite current legislation to improve the status of disabled individuals. Secondly, the authors analyze the healer-patient relationship as it is evidenced in our current rehabilitation practices, and conclude that that relationship is patronizing toward disabled individuals. Thirdly, the notion of acceptance of disability is shown to be intrinsically derogating. Strategies for changing attitudes toward disabled people include: (1) redefinition of acceptance of disability to mean tolerance of disability; (2) redefinition of role relationships in such a way as to treat a disabled person because he is human, not because he is “sick”; (3) redefinition of “handicap” in terms of the environment; (4) redefinition of problems of disabled individuals as problems not unlike those of which all people face. Finally, several means by which rehabilitation counselors and rehabilitation counselor educators might implement these strategies are suggested.
Effect of illustration and labeling to general children's attitudes toward disabled people
