Intellectual Disability Stigma: The State of the Evidence

Albeit the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities advocates for the right to full and active participation is society, it is well known that individuals with intellectual disabilities face great disadvantages in most domains of life. Stigma and discrimination are at the roots of the limited life opportunities available to this group of individuals. This chapter explores the state of the evidence in the field of intellectual disability stigma published since 2016. Specifically, we review 29 studies that dealt with public stigma, professional stigma, self-stigma, and family or affiliate stigma. Further, we review studies that have focused on stigma change interventions during these years. In our last section we provide a summary of the findings as well as suggestions for future research.