The Effects of Symptom Recognition and Diagnostic Labels on Public Beliefs, Emotional Reactions, and Stigmas Associated with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

Abstract Labels are firmly rejected by the disability rights movement, yet the complex effects of labeling on lay beliefs are poorly understood. This study examined the effects of labeling on the general public's reactions to people with intellectual disabilities. A sample of 1,233 adult members of the UK general population were randomly presented with either a diagnostically labeled or unlabeled case vignette, and their emotional reactions, causal beliefs, and social distance were assessed. Providing a label reduced social distance, increased biomedical attributions, and had a small positive direct effect on emotional reactions. Making a diagnosis of mild intellectual disability known may prevent misattribution to more stigmatizing causes and thus reduce social distance. Some undesirable effects were observed though on causal beliefs and associated emotional reactions.