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Chinese Validation of the Multidimensional Attitude Scale toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS): Attitudes toward Autism Spectrum Disorders

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Abstract

The literature on tools of attitudes towards ASD was limited. This study is the first to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the multidimensional attitudes scale toward persons with disabilities (MAS) in a sample of Chinese college students (N = 1002, 32.10% males). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the G-MAS-R model’s 4-factor structure: calm, negative affect, positive cognitions and behavioral avoidance. The results suggest that the Chinese version of the MAS has satisfactory internal consistency. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the MAS scores were significantly correlated with the Social Distance Scale and Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire scores. Overall, the findings indicate that the MAS is appropriate for assessing attitudes toward people with ASD in a Chinese context.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Education Planning Project of China: “Peer Relationship of Children with ASD: Characteristic, Influence Mechanism and Intervention” (Grant No. CBA190245).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Special Education Department, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China

    Ming-hui Lu & Fei-fan Pang

  2. School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang, People’s Republic of China

    Jie Luo

  3. Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, 230 Wai Huan Xi Road, Guangzhou, 510006, People’s Republic of China

    Fei-fan Pang & Jie Luo

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  1. Ming-hui Lu
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  3. Jie Luo
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ML participated in study design, literature research, data acquisition, and statistical analysis. FP participated in study design, literature research, data acquisition, and statistical analysis. JL participated in study design, literature research, and statistical analysis.

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Correspondence to Fei-fan Pang or Jie Luo.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of Guangzhou University and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Lu, Mh., Pang, Ff. & Luo, J. Chinese Validation of the Multidimensional Attitude Scale toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS): Attitudes toward Autism Spectrum Disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 50, 3777–3789 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04435-1

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