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Assessing teachers' attitude toward the handicapped: A methodological investigation
Author(s) -
Gargiulo Richard M.,
Yonker Robert J.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
psychology in the schools
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1520-6807
pISSN - 0033-3085
DOI - 10.1002/1520-6807(198304)20:2<229::aid-pits2310200217>3.0.co;2-a
Subject(s) - psychology , pupil , special education , developmental psychology , pulse rate , mathematics education , clinical psychology , medicine , neuroscience , blood pressure , radiology
The attitude of 48 pre‐ and in‐service regular and special educators toward teaching the special needs pupil was assessed physiologically via changes in pulse and skin temperature and with self‐report. The self‐report data were contradicted by the physiological evidence. Statistically significant differences were not observed among the four groups on the self‐report measure; however, the physiological index of change in mean pulse rate indicated that preservice regular and special educators, in comparison to experienced teachers, perceived teaching the handicapped child to be significantly more stressful. The lack of agreement between the two assessment procedures was interpreted as suggesting that one should consider cautiously the results of investigations that assess attitude toward the handicapped only by means of self‐report.