Public stigmatization of people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

This study aimed to examine the level of discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities during COVID-19, and assessed stereotypes, levels of familiarity with people with intellectual disabilities, and personal experiences with COVID-19, as potential correlates. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a large sample from the Dutch population (n = 1,797). Salient stereotype factors of people with intellectual disabilities were ‘Friendly’ and ‘In need of help’ but not ‘Give nuisance’. Those respondents who were unfamiliar with people with intellectual disabilities in real-life demonstrated higher levels of discrimination, perceiving them as more of a nuisance and as being less in need of help, in comparison to those who were more familiar. People with intellectual disabilities were judged by an ambivalent set of stereotypes during the COVID-19 pandemic that were in line with pre-COVID-19 findings and as such seemed to be fairly persistent and robust. There is a pressing need to both raise awareness of stereotypes towards and discrimination against people with intellectual disabilities via advocacy and education, and to facilitate positive encounters.