How Contact Experience Shapes Peer's Attitudes: Investigating Typically Developing Children's Attitudes Toward Autistic Typically Developing Siblings in Inclusive Education.

purposeThis study systematically examined social attitudes of typically developing (TD) children toward typically developing siblings of children with autism (ASD-Sibs) in inclusive education schools. It assessed both explicit and implicit attitudes, examined the moderating role of prior contact experience with autistic peers, and tested the efficacy of an imagined contact intervention among children with negative or no prior contact experience.

methodsIn Experiment 1, TD children's explicit (questionnaire) and implicit (Affective Misattribution Procedure) attitudes toward ASD-Sibs were measured, and their prior contact experience with autistic peers was categorized. Experiment 2 used a pre-post design with children reporting negative/no contact, testing effects of a single imagined-contact session on implicit attitudes and contact intentions.

resultsExplicit attitudes were favorable, but implicit attitudes depended on prior contact experience: positive contact predicted positive implicit attitudes, while negative/no contact predicted implicit bias. For the negative contact group, imagined contact significantly improved implicit attitudes and increased contact intention.

conclusionThis study uncovers the implicit bias against ASD-Sibs in inclusive education schools. Importantly, it demonstrates that such bias is malleable and can be effectively reduced through a brief, cost-efficient imagined contact intervention. This work not only extends contact theory by demonstrating attitude generalization from imagined contact, but also delivers a practical, evidence-based tool for educators to foster inclusion and support the well-being of children with autistic siblings.