Seyhan HIDIROĞLU, Nimet Emel LÜLECİ, Melda KARAVUS, Şeyma Görçin KARAKETİR, Ahmet KARAVUS

A study exploring the autism awareness of students attending the department of pre-school teacher education of a public University in Istanbul, Turkey

Objectives: Early detection of autism might largely depend on pre-school teachers’ awareness and their prompt referral of thesechildren to health authorities for accurate diagnosis. The purpose of our study was to assess the awareness about childhood autismamong students attending the Department of Pre-school Teacher Education of a public university.Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was carried out on 181 out of 218 students.Results: The best known characteristic of a child having autism was ‘‘having a hard time in social relations’’ (90.1%). The majority(85.6%) of the study group believed that autism was curable and thought that a child having autism could pursue a family life in thefuture with his/her spouse (51.3%). Around 60.7% of all participants were of the opinion that a child with autism cannot participatein conversations.Conclusion: The idea of a child with autism disturbing the teaching environment (50.8%) exists which might be a very importantobstacle for his/her education; thus interfering with his/her treatment. Autism awareness of respondents could be considered to berelatively good among the senior students.

Keywords:

Autism, Awareness, Pre-school Teaching, University Students,

PDF

___

[1] J Udhya, MM Varadharaja, J Parthiban. Autism disorder (AD): An updated review for paediatric dentists. J Clin Diagn Res 2014;8:275-9. doi: 10.7860/JCDR/2014/7938.4080
[2] Elsabbagh M, Divan G, Koh YJ, et al. Global prevalence of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders. Autism Res 2012;5:160-79. doi: 10.1002/aur.239
[3] Dillenburger K, Jordan JA, McKerr L. Autism spectrum disorder: public awareness and attitudes. Research Update 2013;84:1.
[4] Hartley-McAndrew M, Doody KR, Mertz J. Knowledge of autism spectrum disorders in potential first-contact professionals. N Am J Med Sci 2014;7:97-102.
[5] Arif MM, Niazy A, Hassan B, Ahmed F. Awareness of autism in primary school teachers. Autism Res Treat 2013;2013. doi: 10.1155/2013/961595
[6] Langh U, Hammar M, Klintwall L, Bolte S. Allegiance and knowledge levels of professionals working with early intensive behavioural intervention in autism. Early Interv Psychiatry 2016;5:444-50. doi: 10.1111/eip.12335
[7] Lian WB, Ying SH, Tean SC, et al. Pre-school teachers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on childhood developmental and behavioural disorders in Singapore. J Paediatr Child Health 2008;44:187-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1440- 1754.2007.01231.x
[8] Liu Y, Li J, Zheng Q, et al. Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of autism spectrum disorder in a stratified sampling of preschool teachers in China. BMC Psychiatry 2016;16:142. doi: 10.1186/s12888.016.0845-2
[9] McConkey R, Bhlirgri S. Children with autism attending preschool facilities: The experiences and perceptions of staff. Early Child Dev Care 2003;173:445-52.
[10] Wang J, Zhou X, Xia W, et al. Autism awareness and attitudes towards treatment in caregivers of children aged 3-6 years in Harbin, China. Soc Psychol Psychiatr Epidemiol 2012;47:1301- 8. doi: 10.1007/s00127.011.0438-9
[11] Öner P, Öner Ö, Çöp E, Munir KM. Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the social communication scale. Bulletin of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2012;22:43-50. doi:
[12] Kara B, Mukaddes NM, Altinkaya I, et al. Using the modified checklist for autism in toddlers in a well-child clinic in Turkey: adapting the screening method based on culture and setting. Autism 2014;18:331-8. doi: 10.5455/bcp.201.112.12091514
[13] Bakare MO, Ebigbo PO, Agomoh AO, Menkiti NC. Knowledge about childhood autism among health workers (KCAHW) questionnaire: description, reliability and internal consistency. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health 2008;4:17. doi: 10.1177/136.236.1312467864
[14] Dillenburger K, Jordan JA, McKerr L, Devine P, Keenan M. Awareness and knowledge of autism and autism interventions: A general population survey. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 2013;7:1558-67.
[15] Gray KM, Tonge BJ. Are there early features of autism in infants and preschool children? J Paediatr Child Health 2001;37:221-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1440-1754.2001.00653.x
[16] Imran N, Chaudry MR, Azeem MW, et al. A survey of Autism knowledge and attitudes among the healthcare professionals in Lahore, Pakistan. BMC Pediatr 2011;11:107. doi:10.1186/1471-2431-11-107
[17] Stichter JP, Riley-Tillman TC, Jimerson SR. Assessing, understanding, and supporting students with autism at school: Contemporary science, practice, and policy. Sch Psychol Q 2016;31:443-9. doi: 10.1037/spq0000184 [18] Zwaigenbaum L, Bryson S, Garon N. Early identification of autism spectrum disorders. Behav Brain Res 2013;251:133-46. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.04.004
[19] Engelhardt J. The understanding and perceptions of teaching assistants working with children with autism. Good Autism Practice (GAP) 2014;15:22-33.
[20] 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. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-12-128
[21] Committee on Children with Disabilities. The pediatrician’s role in the diagnosis and management of autistic spectrum disorder in children. Pediatrics 2001;107:1221-6. doi: 10.1542/ peds.107.5.e85
[22] Bodur Ş, Soysal AŞ. Otizmin erken tanısı ve önemi. STED, 13 (10) 2004:394-8.
[23] Heidgerken AD, Geffken G, Modi A, Frakey L. A survey of autism knowledge in a health care setting. J Autism Dev Disord 2005;35:323-30. doi: 10.1007/s10803.005.3298-x
[24] Nygren G, Sandberg E, Gillstedt F, et al. A new screening programme for autism in a general population of Swedish toddlers. Res Dev Disabil 2012;33:1200-10. doi: 10.1016/j. ridd.2012.02.018
[25] Karabekiroğlu K, Cakin-Memik N, Ozcan-Ozel O, et al. Stigmatization and Misinterpretations on ADHD and Autism: A Multi-Central Study with Elementary School Teachers and Parents. Turkish Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2009;12:79-89.
[26] Yasar P, Cronin KA. Perspectives of college of education students in Turkey on autism spectrum disorders. Int J Spec Educ 2014;29:61-75.
[27] Igwe MN, Bakare MO, Agomoh AO, Onyeama GM, Okonkwo KO. Factors influencing knowledge about childhood autism among final year undergraduate Medical, Nursing and Psychology students of University of Nigeria, Enugu State, Nigeria. Ital J Pediatr 2010;36:44. doi: 10.1186/1824-7288-36-44
[28] Krug DA, Arick J, Almond P. Behavior checklist for identifying severely handicapped individuals with high levels of autistic behavior. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 1980;21:221-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1980.tb01797.x
[29] Andersson GW, Miniscalco C, Gillberg C. Preschoolers assessed for autism: parent and teacher experiences of the diagnostic process. Res Dev Disabil 2014;35:3392-402. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2014.08.027
[30] Humphrey N, Symes W. Inclusive education for pupils with autistic spectrum disorders in secondary mainstream schools: teacher attitudes, experience and knowledge. Int J Inc Educ 2013;17:32-46.
[31] Mavropoulou S, Sideridis GD. Knowledge of autism and attitudes of children towards their partially integrated peers with autism spectrum disorders. J Autism Dev Disord 2014;44:1867-85. doi: 10.1007/s10803.014.2059-0
[32] Ratajczak HV, Sothern RB. Positive Effect of Fever on Symptoms of Autism. N Am J Med Sci 2016;9:167-71
[33] Mukaddes NM, Tutkunkardas MD, Sari O, Aydin A, Kozanoglu P. Characteristics of children who lost the diagnosis of autism: a sample from istanbul, Turkey. Autism Res Treat 2014;2014. doi: 10.1155/2014/472120