Attentional focus and attitudes toward peers with disabilities : self focusing and a comparison of modeling and self-disclosure /

TLDR: In this paper, the authors examined correlates of self-consciousness and self-disclosure by comparing two filmed interventions: one of these modeled appropriate behaviors when encountering someone who is blind (symbolic modeling of skills), while the second featured a blind man during everyday activities (self-disclosed).

Abstract: This study tested aspects of the Attentional Mechanisms Model of Interaction Stram (AMMIS) by examining correlates of dispositionally self-focused attention (self-consciousness) and by comparing two filmed interventions: one of these modeled appropriate behaviors when encountering someone who is blind (symbolic modeling of skills), while the second featured a blind man during everyday activities (self-disclosure). Results indicate that self-focused attention is related to negative outcomes and that both the modeling and the self-disclosure films had beneficial effects on thoughts, feelings, self-efficacy beliefs, and attitudes, compared to no intervention. While symbolic modeling was expected to result in more favorable outcomes, self-disclosure generally produced superior results. Implications for research, skills training, and attitude change are discussed.