Adaptation of the Slovenian version of the Symbolic Ableism Scale

Ableism, a form of prejudice against people with disabilities, arises from stereotypical views of disabled people and can lead to discrimination. Symbolic ableism is a modern, subtle form of this prejudice. Addressing this phenomenon, particularly in education, is important for creating an inclusive environment. We surveyed 232 pre-service teachers to validate and adapt the existing Symbolic Ableism Scale for the Slovenian context. The study revealed that ableism is a four-dimensional construct that includes factors such as: Personal Responsibility, Discrimination, Low Empathy and Inspirational Portrayal of Disability. While the adapted Symbolic Ableism Scale showed reasonable reliability, its criterion validity needs further investigation. In contrast to the original scale, present study did not confirm high levels of empathy and recognition of continuing discrimination as components of ableist attitudes among Slovenian pre-service teachers, suggesting that the adapted scale is more in line with the original concept of symbolic racism. This study highlights the importance of further investigating symbolic ableism and its components in different cultural contexts and subpopulations.