Analysis of Spanish Parents’ Knowledge about ASD and Their Attitudes towards Inclusive Education

  1. Irene Gómez Marí 1
  2. Raúl Tárraga Mínguez 1
  3. Gemma Pastor Cerezuela 1
  1. 1 Universitat de València
    info

    Universitat de València

    Valencia, España

    ROR https://ror.org/043nxc105

Revista:
EJIHPE: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education

ISSN: 2174-8144 2254-9625

Año de publicación: 2022

Volumen: 12

Número: 7

Páginas: 870-881

Tipo: Artículo

DOI: 10.3390/EJIHPE12070063 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openDialnet editor

Otras publicaciones en: EJIHPE: European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education

Resumen

To make possible the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in mainstream settings, parental knowledge and attitudes towards the disorder play a key role between the home and the school setting. However, prior literature has not carried out an in-depth analysis of parents’ knowledge about ASD and their attitudes toward the inclusion of children with this diagnosis. This study examined the parental attitudes towards inclusion and knowledge about ASD. Participants were parents of children with ASD (n = 75), parents of children without ASD whose children had prior or current contact with peers with ASD (n = 44), and parents of children with no previous interactions with a peer with ASD (n = 51). The Attitudes of Regular Educators Towards Inclusion for Students with Autism Survey and the Autism Knowledge Questionnaire were filled out. Nonparametric statistical tests were used. Results showed that parents of children with ASD have better knowledge about this disorder and hold more favorable attitudes towards the inclusion of children with ASD than the other parents. These findings suggest that the benefits of inclusive schooling are limited to the school setting and do not appear to affect families of children without ASD.

Información de financiación

Financiadores

  • Ministerio de Educación
    • FPU19/06330

Referencias bibliográficas

  • Abu-Hamour, B.; Muhaidat, M. Parents’ attitudes towards inclusion of students with autism in Jordan. Int. J. Incl. Educ. 2014, 18, 567–579.
  • Ainscow, M. Towards Inclusive Schooling. Br. J. Spec. Educ. 1997, 24, 3–6.
  • Albuquerque, C.; Pinto, I.; Ferrari, L. Attitudes of parents of typically developing children towards school inclusion: The role of personality variables and positive descriptions. Eur. J. Spec. Needs Educ. 2019, 34, 369–382.
  • American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th ed.; American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC, USA, 2013.
  • Anwar, M.S.; Tahir, M.; Nusrat, K.; Khan, M.R. Knowledge, awareness, and perceptions regarding autism among parents in Karachi, Pakistan. Cureus 2018, 10, e3229.
  • Benallie, K.J.; McClain, M.B.; Harris, B.; Schwartz, S.E. Validation of the ASKSG with a parent sample in the United States. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2020, 50, 4557–4565.
  • Bricker, D. The Challenge of Inclusion. J. Early Interv. 1995, 19, 179–194.
  • Broady, T.R.; Stoyles, G.J.; Morse, C. Understanding carers’ lived experience of stigma: The voice of families with a child on the autism spectrum. Health Soc. Care Community 2017, 25, 224–233.
  • Cage, E.; di Monaco, J.; Newell, V. Understanding, attitudes and dehumanisation towards autistic people. Autism 2019, 23, 1373–1383.
  • Carlsson, E.; Miniscalco, C.; Kadesjö, B.; Laakso, K. Negotiating knowledge: Parents’ experience of the neuropsychiatric diagnostic process for children with autism. Int. J. Lang. Commun. Disord. 2016, 51, 328–338.
  • Dawson-Squibb, J.J.; Davids, E.L.; Harrison, A.J.; Molony, M.A.; de Vries, P.J. Parent education and training for autism spectrum disorders: Scoping the evidence. Autism 2020, 24, 7–25.
  • De Boer, A.; Pijl, S.J.; Minnaert, A. Attitudes of parents towards inclusive education: A review of the literature. Eur. J. Spec. Needs Educ. 2010, 25, 165–181.
  • De Boer, A.A.; Munde, V.S. Parental attitudes toward the inclusion of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities in general primary education in the Netherlands. J. Spec. Educ. 2015, 49, 179–187.
  • De Boer, A.A.; Pijl, S.J.; Minnaert, A. Students’ attitudes towards peers with disabilities: A review of the literature. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Educ. 2012, 59, 379–392.
  • Dillenburger, K.; Jordan, J.A.; McKerr, L.; Devine, P.; Keenan, M. Awareness and knowledge of autism and autism interventions: A general population survey. Res. Autism Spectr. Disord. 2013, 7, 1558–1567.
  • Dillenburger, K.; McKerr, L.; Jordan, J.A.; Devine, P.; Keenan, M. Creating an inclusive society . . . How Close are we in relation to autism spectrum disorder? A general population survey. J. Appl. Res. Intellect. Disabil. 2015, 28, 330–340.
  • Dimitrios, K.; Georgia, V.; Eleni, Z.; Asterios, P. Parental attitudes regarding inclusion of children with disabilities in Greek education settings. Int. J. Incl. Educ. 2008, 2, 6.
  • Dimitrova-Radojicic, D.B.; Chichevska-Jovanova, N. Parents attitude: Inclusive education of children with disability. Int. J. Cogn. Res. Sci. Eng. Educ. 2014, 2, 13–17.
  • Dogutas, A. Representation of disabled people in advertisements in Turkey. Am. J. Qual. Res. 2021, 5, 57–72.
  • Durand-Zaleski, I.; Scott, J.; Rouillon, F.; Leboyer, M.A. first national survey of knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards schizophrenia, bipolar disorders and autism in France. BMC Psychiatry 2012, 12, 128.
  • Eagly, A.H.; Chaiken, S. The advantages of an inclusive definition of attitude. Soc. Cogn. 2007, 25, 582–602.
  • Eagly, A.H.; Chaiken, S. The Psychology of Attitudes; Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers: San Diego, CA, USA, 1993.
  • Favazza, P.C.; Siperstein, G.N.; Ghio, K.; Wairimu, J.; Masila, S. The young athletes curriculum: Impact on children with disabilities in Kenya. J. Res. Child. Educ. 2016, 30, 113–127.
  • Gallagher, D.; Heymsfield, S.B.; Heo, M.; Jebb, S.A.; Murgatroyd, P.R.; Sakamoto, Y. Healthy percentage body fat ranges: An approach for developing guidelines based on body mass index. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2000, 72, 694–701.
  • Garrick Duhaney, L.M.; Salend, S.J. Parental perceptions of inclusive educational placements. Remedial Spec. Educ. 2000, 21, 121–128.
  • Gray, D. Perceptions of stigma: The parents of autistic children. Sociol. Health Illn. 1993, 15, 102–120.
  • Haimour, A.; Obaidat, Y. School teachers’ knowledge about autism in Saudi Arabia. World J. Educ. 2013, 3, 45–56.
  • Hayes, S.A.; Watson, S.L. The impact of parenting stress: A meta-analysis of studies comparing the experience of parenting stress in parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorder. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2013, 43, 629–642.
  • Heys, M.; Alexander, A.; Medeiros, E.; Tumbahangphe, K.M.; Gibbons, F.; Shrestha, R.; Manandhar, M.; Wickenden, M.; Shrestha, M.; Costello, A.; et al. Understanding parents’ and professionals’ knowledge and awareness of autism in Nepal. Autism 2017, 21, 436–449.
  • Hilbert, D. Perceptions of parents of young children with and without disabilities attending inclusive preschool programs. J. Educ. Learn. 2014, 3, 49–59.
  • Holt, J.M.; Christensen, K.M. Utahns’ understanding of autism spectrum disorder. Disabil. Health J. 2013, 6, 52–62.
  • Hong, S.Y.; Kwon, K.A.; Jeon, H.J. Children’s Attitudes towards Peers with Disabilities: Associations with Personal and Parental Factors. Infant Child Dev. 2014, 23, 170–193.
  • Hu, B.Y.; Mak, M.C.K.; Zhang, C.; Fan, X.; Zhu, J. Chinese parents’ beliefs about the importance and feasibility of quality Early childhood inclusion. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Educ. 2018, 65, 163–182.
  • Innes, F.K.; Diamond, K.E. Typically Developing Children’s Interactions with Peers with Disabilities. Top. Early Child. Spec. Educ. 1999, 19, 103–111.
  • Jensen, C.M.; Martens, C.S.; Nikolajsen, N.D.; Skytt Gregersen, T.; Heckmann Marx, N.; Goldberg Frederiksen, M.; Hansen, M.S. What do the general population know, believe and feel about individuals with autism and schizophrenia: Results from a comparative survey in Denmark. Autism 2016, 20, 496–508.
  • Kalyva, E.; Georgiadi, M.; Tsakiris, V. Attitudes of Greek parents of primary school children without special educational needs to inclusion. Eur. J. Spec. Needs Educ. 2007, 22, 295–305.
  • Katz, S.; Chamiel, M. Relationship between children’s ages and parental attitudes, and their attitudes toward a child with a physical disability. Int. J. Rehabil. Res. 1989, 12, 190–192.
  • Kuzminski, R.; Netto, J.; Wilson, J.; Falkmer, T.; Chamberlain, A.; Falkmer, M. Linking knowledge and attitudes: Determining neurotypical knowledge about and attitudes towards autism. PLoS ONE 2019, 14, e0220197.
  • Kuznetsova, I.; Garapshina, L.; Mukharyamova, L. Between withdrawal and resistance: Parents’ strategies in navigating preschool education in Russia for children with developmental disabilities and autism. J. Child. Serv. 2021, 16, 304–317.
  • Leyser, Y.; Kirk, R. Evaluating Inclusion: An examination of parent views and factors influencing their perspectives. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Educ. 2004, 51, 271–285.
  • Liao, X.; Lei, X.; Li, Y. Stigma among parents of children with autism: A literature review. Asian J. Psychiatry 2019, 45, 88–94.
  • Lord, C.; Brugha, T.S.; Charman, T.; Cusack, J.; Dumas, G.; Frazier, T.; Jones, E.J.H.; Jones, R.M.; Pickles, A.; State, M.W.; et al. Autism spectrum disorder. Nat. Rev. Dis. Primers 2020, 6, 5.
  • Mathur, S.; Koradia, K. Parents’ attitude toward inclusion of their children with autism in mainstream classrooms. J. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2018, 4, 47–60. Available online: http://iafor.org/archives/journals/iafor-journal-of-psychology-and-the-behavioralsciences/10.22492.ijpbs.4.2.04.pdf (accessed on 18 July 2022).
  • Mitchell, G.E.; Locke, K.D. Lay beliefs about autism spectrum disorder among the general public and childcare providers. Autism 2015, 19, 553–561.
  • Mohammed Yusuf, A.; Abdurashid Ibrahim, N. Knowledge, attitude and practice towards dengue fever prevention and associated factors among public health sector health-care professionals: In Dire Dawa, eastern Ethiopia. Risk Manag. Healthc. Policy 2019, 12, 91–104.
  • Most, T.; Ingber, S.; Heled-Ariam, E. Social competence, sense of loneliness, and speech intelligibility of young children with hearing loss in individual inclusion and group inclusion. J. Deaf Stud. Deaf Educ. 2012, 17, 259–272.
  • Murray, M.M.; Ackerman-Spain, K.; Williams, E.U.; Ryley, A.T. Knowledge is power: Empowering the autism community through parent-professional training. Sch. Com. J. 2011, 21, 19–36.
  • Odom, S.L.; Zercher, C.; Li, S.; Marquart, J.M.; Sandall, S.; Brown, W.H. Social acceptance and rejection of preschool children with disabilities: A mixed-method analysis. J. Educ. Psychol. 2006, 98, 807–823.
  • Palmer, D.S.; Fuller, K.; Arora, T.; Nelson, M. Taking Sides: Parent views on inclusion for their children with severe disabilities. Except. Child. 2001, 67, 467–484.
  • Park, H.; Ostrosky, M.M. What typically developing children’s parents say when they read books about disabilities. Top. Early Child. Spec. Educ. 2014, 33, 225–236.
  • Peck, C.A.; Staub, D.; Gallucci, C.; Schwartz, I. Parent perception of the impacts of inclusion on their nondisabled child. Res. Pract. Pers. Sev. Disabil. 2004, 29, 135–143.
  • Pennefather, J.; Hieneman, M.; Raulston, T.J.; Caraway, N. Evaluation of an online training program to improve family routines, parental well-being, and the behavior of children with autism. Res. Autism Spectr. Disord. 2018, 54, 21–26.
  • Prata, J.; Lawson, W.; Coelho, R. Parent training for parents of children on the autism spectrum: A review. Int. J. Neurosci. 2018, 5, 3.
  • Rafferty, Y.; Griffin, K.W. Benefits and risks of reverse inclusion for preschoolers with and without disabilities: Perspectives of parents and providers. J. Early Interv. 2005, 27, 173–192.
  • Roberts, C.M.; Lindsell, J.S. Children’s attitudes and behavioural intentions towards peers with disabilities. Int. J. Disabil. Dev. Educ. 1997, 44, 133–145.
  • Sanz-Cervera, P.; Fernández-Andrés, M.I.; Pastor-Cerezuela, G.; Tárraga-Mínguez, R. Pre-service teachers’ knowledge, misconceptions and gaps about autism spectrum disorder. Teach. Educ. Spec. Educ. 2017, 40, 212–224.
  • Schelly, D.; González, P.J.; Solís, P.J. Barriers to an information effect on diagnostic disparities of autism spectrum disorder in young children. Health Serv. Res. Manag. Epidemiol. 2019, 6, 233339281985305.
  • Shilubane, H.; Mazibuko, N. Understanding autism spectrum disorder and coping mechanism by parents: An explorative study. Int. J. Nurs. Sci. 2020, 7, 413–418.
  • Showalter-Barnes, K. The Attitudes of Regular Education Teachers Regarding Inclusion for Students with Autism. Ph.D. Thesis, Walden University, Minneapolis, MN, USA, 2008.
  • Sira, N.; Maine, E.; McNeil, S. Building alliance for preschool inclusion: Parents of typically developing children, attitudes and perceptions. J. Early Child. Teach. Educ. 2018, 39, 32–49.
  • Tárraga-Mínguez, R.; Gómez-Marí, I.; Sanz-Cervera, P. What motivates Internet users to search for Asperger syndrome and autism on Google? Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 9386.
  • Tipton, L.A.; Blacher, J. Brief report: Autism awareness: Views from a campus community. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2014, 44, 477–483.
  • Vlachou, A.; Karadimou, S.; Koutsogeorgou, E. Exploring the views and beliefs of parents of typically developing children about inclusion and inclusive education. Educ. Res. 2016, 58, 384–399.
  • Werner, S.; Shulman, C. Does type of disability make a difference in affiliate stigma among family caregivers of individuals with autism, intellectual disability or physical disability? J. Intellect. Dev. Disabil. 2015, 59, 272–283.
  • Yu, S.Y. What parents say about inclusion and disabilities: Implications for young children’s attitude development toward peers with disabilities. Early Child Dev. Care 2021, 191, 1825–1837.
  • Zuckerman, K.E.; Lindly, O.J.; Reyes, N.M.; Chavez, A.E.; Cobian, M.; Macias, K.; Reynolds, A.M.; Smith, K.A. Parent perceptions of community autism spectrum disorder stigma: Measure validation and associations in a multi-site sample. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2018, 48, 3199–3209.