Class Placement; *Stereotype

Investigated were the attitudes of 4 adults toward mentally retarded children. In addition to providing inforliption on demographic characteristics, definition of retardation and degree of contact with retarded people, the Ss rated 48 attitudinal statements pertaining to retarded children. Factor analysis of questionnaire responses revealed four enderlying attitude. factors: positive stereotype, segregation in the community, segregation in the classroom, and perceived physical and intellectual handicap. Older Ss, parents of school aged-children, and Ss with no previous contact with a retarded person tended to favor segregation of retarded children in the community. ReSults suggested that attitudes'of these groups must be addressed-if the retarded are to be successfully integrated into society. (Authoc/CL) Documents acquired by E C include many intQrmal-unpublished * materials not available from 'other sources. ERIC ' makes every effort * * to obtain the best copy available. nevertheless, items of marginal * *,reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality ' * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available; * * via the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS). EDRS is not * responsible for the quality of the original document. Reproductions * * supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original. * km lbw 11 11 Ese 4111&apos