"Meeting Intellectual, Psychological, and Developmental Disabilities": Evaluating an 8-Month Adapted Physical Activity Contact-Based Approach.

Stigma toward people with intellectual, psychological, or developmental disabilities persists. This study assessed the longitudinal impact of a contact-based educational intervention combining two methods of contact-indirect (theoretical teaching) and direct (adapted physical activity practice)-on intergroup anxiety and explicit social perceptions toward people with intellectual, psychological, or developmental disabilities. Thirty-nine undergraduate students took a teaching module on disability and completed assessments at four time points. The results revealed that intergroup anxiety significantly decreased following the combination of indirect and direct contact and remained reduced at the follow-up assessment. Higher levels of social contact, prior experience, and professional intention were associated with lower baseline anxiety, though they did not moderate the intervention's effect over time. Perceptions of people with intellectual, psychological, or developmental disabilities as warmer than competent remained stable from baseline to follow-up. These findings support the integration of adapted physical activity contact into training programs to reduce stigma among future education professionals.