Abstract / Summary
Background Qualitative research indicates Canadians likely stigmatize people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Accordingly, stigma may be barrier to the provision of support for this population, and highlighting strengths has been suggested as a possible stigma intervention. This study examined: 1) whether a diagnostic label of FASD elicited different stigmatizing attitudes in Canadians than attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or no label; and 2) if including strengths when describing a character with FASD influenced stigmatizing attitudes. Method Canadian adults ( N = 505) read one of five vignettes describing a man experiencing difficulties. Four vignettes varied in the character’s diagnosis: FASD, ADHD, ASD, or no diagnosis. A fifth vignette included the character with FASD, with strengths added. Participants completed questionnaires measuring stigmatizing attitudes toward the character, including perceived unpredictability/incompetence, perceived dangerousness, affective reactions, and desired social distance. Results Participants rated the character with FASD as more unpredictable/incompetent and dangerous than the character with ADHD, and not significantly different in these traits than the characters with ASD or no diagnosis. Additionally, while participants desired less social distance from the characters with ADHD and ASD than the unlabeled character, this protective effect of a diagnosis did not persist when the diagnosis was FASD. There were no differences in reported affective reactions, and highlighting strengths did not impact attitudes. Conclusions Findings partially support a specific public stigma towards FASD and suggest comparably less stigma towards ADHD. Development of effective interventions addressing FASD stigma is warranted, and future research areas are discussed.