At Last—Empirical Proof That the “R-Word” Really Must Go: The Influence of Terminology on Tolerance

Abstract

College undergraduate students (N = 259), were given a measure of tolerance toward people with intellectual disability. Half of the sample was given a version that used the term mentally retarded, and half was given a version that used person with intellectual disability. Individuals receiving the version with mentally retarded had lower levels of tolerance on all four subscales of the instrument. They scored significantly higher on the subscales of Exclusion and Sheltering and significantly lower on the subscales of Empowerment and Similarities than their peers who received the version using the term person with intellectual disability.