Attitudes of Mothers and Fathers of Nonhandicapped Children

Abstract

This study examines the attitudes of a group of parents of nonhandicapped children toward preschool mainstreaming, focusing on individual and demographic correlates of parent attitudes. Attitudes held by mothers and fathers were examined separately. Maternal attitudes were related to the positiveness (but not the overall amount) of their experiences with handicapped individuals, famiy income, education, age, and age of the nonhandicapped child. Only one significant correlation was found for fathers. Attitudes held by mothers and fathers were positively correlated. Preschoolers with severe mental retardation, emotional disturbance, or behavior problems elicited the most concern from parents relating to mainstreaming. Perceived benefits and drawbacks to mainstreaming are presented.