Attitudes Towards and Communications with People with Disabilities in Saudi Arabia: Towards the Sustainability of a Healthy Citizenry

Mohaned G. Abed, Lowai G. Abed and Todd K. Shackelford ()
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Mohaned G. Abed: Department of Special Education, Faculty of Education, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
Lowai G. Abed: Department of Communication and Media Technology, College of Social Sciences and Media, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia
Todd K. Shackelford: Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI 48309, USA

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-10

Abstract: The sustainability of a healthy, well-functioning citizenry depends on the acceptance and inclusion of people with disabilities. We investigated attitudes towards and communications with people with disabilities in Saudi Arabia by securing self-reports from 236 Saudi Arabian adults in a survey developed for this research, alongside demographic variables including gender, disability status, and age. The results indicate minimal effects of attitudes towards and communications with people with disabilities on their quality of life. Additional results indicate the effects of religious factors on attitudes towards and communications with people with disabilities, and also highlight the potential negative social consequences of misconceptions about people with disabilities. Such results indicate a continuing need to educate the Saudi Arabian public about disabilities, if the country is to facilitate and sustain a healthy citizenry.

Keywords: sustainability; disability; communication; attitude; non-disabled; culture; age; gender; Saudi Arabia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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