Attitudes toward people with disabilities reflect the level of moral and cultural development of societies, their cohesion, and their ability to coexist harmoniously. Studying students’ attitudes toward wheelchair users in the context of the armed conflict in Ukraine is an important step in exploring the sociodemographic determinants of those attitudes and the evolution of social awareness among young people. The research was conducted twice, in 2022 and 2024, covering 1,453 and 986 Ukrainian students, respectively, from medical, humanities, and social science programmes at universities in Kyiv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv. The method used was a diagnostic survey with a standardised questionnaire, the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS-UA). Results are presented in subscales, with higher values indicating more negative attitudes toward individuals with disabilities. The results indicate significant differences in the first subscale of the MAS (39.94 ± 5.97 in 2022 vs. 33.76 ± 10.07 in 2024), suggesting an increase in positive emotional-evaluative attitudes in the later study. The overall assessment of social attitudes has also improved (79.22 ± 11.98 vs. 74.02 ± 18.31). The cognitive and behavioural aspects of attitudes are more stable and change relatively slowly. The armed conflict has triggered the mobilisation of the Ukrainian youth to increase efforts for the benefit of people with physical disabilities. The sociodemographic ‘profile’ plays a role in shaping emotional attitudes and the overall MAS score. Older students, women, those living in large cities, married individuals, students in medical fields, and those who identify with a religion exhibit a more positive attitude. The increase in positive emotions, reduction in tension, stress, helplessness, and shame indicate an improvement in mental well-being. However, a decline has been noted in feelings of relaxation, calmness, and composure. A daily visual or direct contact with people with physical disabilities has significantly improved affective attitudes, highlighting the importance of direct interactions in fostering empathy and understanding.

Background: Wheelchair users face significant daily challenges, many of which are the result of physical, social, and attitudinal barriers in society rather than their impairment alone. Public attitudes toward this group are shaped by personal experience, awareness, and the availability of accessible infrastructure. In Ukraine, the number of people with disabilities has increased due to the ongoing war, highlighting the relevance of student perspectives in this context. Objective: To compare the attitudes of students from Ukraine and the Visegrad Group (V4) countries—Poland, Czech Republic, and Slovakia—toward wheelchair users. Materials and Methods: In 2024, a total of 997 students from Poland, 1222 from the Czech Republic, 918 from Slovakia, and 986 from Ukraine participated in a survey using the standardized Multidimensional Attitudes Scale Toward Persons With Disabilities (MAS). Sampling was non-random and based on convenience, which limits the representativeness of the findings. Results: Cognitive and behavioral components of attitudes were generally stable and comparable across all four groups. However, significant differences were observed in the emotional subscale, with Ukrainian students demonstrating more positive attitudes. The median total MAS score was lower (indicating more favorable attitudes) for Ukrainian students (60) compared to Poland, Slovakia (68), and the Czech Republic (71). Conclusions: Ukrainian students reported more positive emotional attitudes toward wheelchair users compared to peers from Poland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. These results highlight the influence of social context on attitudes toward people with disabilities.

Background Public attitudes toward people with disabilities (PwD) shape inclusion, healthcare access, and social participation. Although attitudes have improved, stereotypes and implicit biases persist. Intergroup contact is linked to more positive attitudes, yet its frequency and quality vary. In Eastern Europe, the ongoing war in Ukraine may directly or indirectly influence disability-related attitudes, as mobility impairments increase and societal exposure to disability changes. Methods We conducted a multi-country cross-sectional study of 8593 university students from nine Eastern European countries using the Multidimensional Attitudes Scale toward Persons with Disabilities (MAS). We assessed cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of attitudes, alongside sociodemographic factors and contact with wheelchair users. Nonparametric tests and Spearman’s ρ were used to examine between-country differences and correlates. Higher MAS scores indicate more negative attitudes. Results MAS global and subscale scores differed significantly across countries. More frequent and higher-quality contact with wheelchair users was associated with less negative attitudes, though effect sizes were generally small. Several sociodemographic variables (e.g., gender, place of upbringing, field of study, religiosity) showed significant, albeit modest, associations with MAS subscales. Cross-national variation was pronounced: global MAS means ranged from 74.3±18.2 (Ukraine) to 92.3±16.6 (Serbia), with a significant between-country effect (Kruskal–Wallis H = 650, p < 0.001). Conclusions Cross-national differences in students’ attitudes toward wheelchair users are substantial and broadly consistent with intergroup contact theory. In conflict-affected settings (e.g., Ukraine), rising visibility of disability and shifting contact patterns may further influence attitudes. Interventions that foster meaningful, high-quality contact and inclusive practices in educational environments may help mitigate negative attitudes and promote social inclusion.