Disability and rehabilitation
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To explore the association between children's self-reported contact with people with disabilities and attitudes towards them, as well the potential mediating influence of anxiety about interacting with people with disabilities and empathy for them. ⋯ Self-reported contact was observed to be associated with more positive attitudes towards disability, which was partially mediated by empathy and anxiety. Providing opportunities for contact with people with disabilities that reduces anxiety and increases empathy may improve attitudes to disability and merits evaluation in interventions. Implications for Rehabilitation Children who reported greater levels of contact with people with disabilities had more positive attitudes towards disability. Anxiety about interacting with people with disabilities and empathy towards them partially mediated the contact-attitude associations. Providing opportunities for contact with people with disabilities, reducing anxiety and increasing empathy may improve children's attitudes to disability.