Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0 (ATDP, ATDP-0)

Abstract

The Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0 (ATDP-0), developed by Yuker, Block, and Campbell in 1960, is a foundational instrument in social psychology designed to assess global attitudes toward disabled individuals. This scale consists of 20 items presented in a Likert-format scale, focusing on generalized attitudes toward the group rather than specific disabilities. Although the ATDP-0 originally proposed two domains—ten items related to the “Characteristics” of the disabled and ten items concerning the “Treatment” of the disabled—subsequent research, including work by Yuker, Block, and Younng (1970), generally did not support the use of these distinct subscales. Administration is typically brief, requiring less than 20 minutes to complete. The resulting scores are known to be influenced by various demographic factors, such as age, sex, education, and socioeconomic status, and show correlations with underlying personality traits and motivations. Comprehensive psychometric analyses affirm that the ATDP-0 possesses adequate reliability and validity for use across both disabled and non-disabled populations, making it a robust measure for attitude research.

Keywords

Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0, ATDP-0, Attitude Measures, Disabilities (Attitudes Toward), Internal Consistency, Test Reliability, Likert Scale, Psychometric Analysis.

Authors

H. E. Yuker, J. R. Block, W. J. Campbell

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0 (ATDP-0) is to provide a standardized, quantitative measure of global, generalized attitudes held by respondents toward disabled persons collectively. It is utilized extensively in research settings to assess societal perceptions and the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving attitudes.

The scale specifically avoids targeting attitudes toward particular physical or cognitive impairments, aiming instead for a broad assessment of the social acceptance and emotional reaction to disability as a general concept. This focus allows researchers to establish baseline measures of prejudice or positive regard within diverse populations.

Construct

The central psychological construct measured by the ATDP-0 is Attitudes toward Disabled Persons. This construct encompasses the affective, cognitive, and behavioral predispositions an individual holds regarding people with disabilities.

The scale attempts to capture complex attitudes, historically categorized into two primary theoretical components: the perceived inherent Characteristics of disabled individuals (e.g., beliefs about their capabilities or limitations) and the appropriate societal Treatment of disabled individuals (e.g., beliefs about their rights, integration, or necessary support). Although the two subscales were not empirically supported for separate scoring, the items collectively contribute to a singular, robust measure of the overall attitude construct.

Validity

The validity of the ATDP-0 has been supported through various methodological approaches. Notably, research focusing on the structure of the scale has provided significant insights into how attitudes are expressed.

For instance, studies employing ordering-theoretic analysis, such as that conducted by Antonak (1979), identified specific nonlinear hierarchies among the attitude statements. This methodology provides evidence that attitudes are not merely linear sums of agreement or disagreement, but rather complex, structured systems of belief. Identifying these hierarchies offers crucial insights into the developmental structure and expression of attitudes toward disabled persons, thereby supporting the scale’s construct validity.

Reliability

The Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0 demonstrates acceptable levels of reliability, ensuring that the measurement is consistent across time and internal item sets. Several standard measures of reliability have been reported for the ATDP-0:

• A standard error of measurement of 6.45 was documented, providing a measure of the variability of scores due to random error.
• The median stability coefficient (test-retest reliability) was reported at .73, suggesting reasonable consistency of scores over time.
• Equivalence reliability, specifically using split-half methods, produced coefficients ranging from .75 to .85, indicating strong internal consistency among the items.

Factor Analysis

Based on the available academic literature, no specific factor analysis confirming distinct underlying dimensions or factors has been consistently reported or widely accepted for the ATDP-0. While the original development proposed two conceptual domains (“Characteristics” and “Treatment”), subsequent psychometric analyses failed to empirically support the use of these components as separate subscales. Consequently, the ATDP-0 is traditionally scored and interpreted as a unidimensional measure of global attitude.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Other Versions: Modified Version (Later studies reduced the item count to 15)

Number of Items: Originally 20 items; later versions reduced to 15 items.

Format: Respondents assess 20 statements using a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from -3 (“I disagree very much”) to +3 (“I agree very much”). The final score is derived from a weighted sum of responses, yielding a quantifiable measure of the global attitude.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years and older)

Population Details: Initial validation sample included University students ranging in age from 20 to 51 years.

Test Methodology: Internal Consistency; Test Reliability (Test-Retest); Ordering-Theoretic Analysis; Administration Method: Paper-based.

Keywords

Attitude Measures, Disabilities (Attitudes Toward), Internal Consistency, Test Forms, Test Reliability, Social Psychology, Psychometrics, ATDP.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Information not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Information not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: H. E. Yuker was affiliated with Abilities, Inc. at the time of publication.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1960

Permissions and Fee: Information regarding current licensing permissions or administration fees for the ATDP-0 is not provided in the source material and must be sought directly from the copyright holders or authorized distributors.

Reference’s

• Antonak, R. F. (1979). An ordering-theoretic analysis of attitudes toward disabled persons. Rehabilitation Psychology, 26(3), 136–144. The associated DOI is https://doi.org/10.1037/h0090918.
• Yuker, H. E., Block, J. R., & Campbell, W. J. (1960). A scale to measure attitude toward disabled persons. Albertson, NY: Human Resources Center.
• Yuker, H. E., Block, J. R., & Young, J. H. (1970). The measurement of attitudes toward disabled persons. Albertson, NY: Human Resources Center.

Items of the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0 (ATDP, ATDP-0)

IMPORTANT: The specific items comprising the Attitude Toward Disabled Persons Scale Form-0 (ATDP-0) were not provided in the source content. However, the scale consists of 20 statements which respondents rate on a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from strong disagreement (-3) to strong agreement (+3).

The items conceptually cover two domains:

• Ten items related to the Characteristics of disabled individuals.
• Ten items related to the appropriate Treatment of disabled individuals.