Young Adults' Perceptions of Children With Cerebral Palsy.

Objective: To examine factors influencing young adults' perceptions of children with cerebral palsy. Participants and Procedure: A total of 180 college students read vignettes about a healthy child or a child with cerebral palsy with mild or moderate physical impairments. Main Outcome Measure: Perceptions of the child (Ratings of the Child Questionnaire). Results: Young adults held less positive perceptions of children with cerebral palsy compared with a healthy child. Women endorsed more positive perceptions for all children than men. Knowledge about cerebral palsy and wanting to work with children were related to positive perceptions of children with cerebral palsy. Conclusions: Young adults' negative perceptions of children with cerebral palsy suggest the need for interventions to improve their knowledge about this condition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)