The impact of explicit and implicit teacher beliefs on reports of inclusive teaching practices in Scotland

Successful inclusion is dependent upon teachers implementing classroom adaptations. Teacher beliefs can be expected to play a key role in their decision to make such adaptations. Using a cross-sectional survey, the purpose of the study was to examine mainstream school teachers’ explicit and implicit attitudes, self-efficacy and intentions towards children with intellectual disability and to assess their relationship to inclusive teaching. Primary school teachers working in Scotland were invited to take part. Eighty-seven participants completed a questionnaire measuring explicit attitudes, self-efficacy, intentions and inclusive teaching. Participants also completed a Single-Target Implicit Association Test assessing implicit attitudes. The results indicated that self-efficacy predicted reported inclusive behaviour and mediated the relationship between explicit attitudes and reported behaviour. Implicit attitudes did not relate to explicit beliefs (attitudes, self-efficacy, intentions) or behaviour.