Attitudes toward people with disabilities in the social context of dating and marriage: A comparison of American, Taiwanese, and Singaporean college students

The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes of American, Taiwanese, and Singaporean students toward people with disabilities in the general context, as well as the specific social context of dating and marriage. The participants include 212 Taiwanese, 115 Singaporean, and 186 American students. They were given the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale, Form A (ATDP-A) and the Attitudes Toward Dating and Marriage Scale (ATDMS); the results indicated significant differences between American and Asian students in both the general and specific social contexts. Female American students consistently revealed the most favorable attitudes toward people with disabilities. Implications for cross-cultural rehabilitation practice and research are discussed.