Autism is a severe neuro-developmental disorder that appear within the first three years after conception. Most autistic children look like other kids, but do puzzling and disturbing things which clearly defined different behaviors from those of typical children. In less severe cases on the spectrum (Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) or Asperger’s Syndrome), children generally have speech and might even be intellectually gifted, but they have one or more “autistic” social and behavioral problems. People think that autism was irreversible. They may show little or no interest in people including their parents, and pursue repetitive activities with no apparent purpose. They have often been described as living “in a world of their own [1-5]^”.

According to Autism Society of America, autism is four times more prevalent in boys than girls in the United States [6]. According to World Health Oraganization, 2017, it is estimated that worldwide 1 in 160 children has an autism. Recent estimated prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in India ranges from 0.15% to 1.01% in various studies, depending on the screening method used, and the areas surveyed.

According to reports by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Research Council, 2019 educational interventions thought to help children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are those that provide structure, direction, and organization for the child. Educational interventions must be tailored to the child and take into account his or her overall developmental status and specific strengths and needs.

Need of the Study

Approximately 50 children are diagnosed with autism per day. Individuals diagnosed with autism are estimated to be 1.5 million. In India the prevalence rate of autism is1 in 150, approximately 4 million. The Autism cases have risen sharply over the last couple of decades. They were 17.40 lakhs in 2005, 40 lakhs in 2006 and today the autism-affected population in India would be close to a crore. The World Health Organization states that one in every 500 persons suffers from autism and approximately two million Indians battle the disorder every day. The teachers are challenged to find and provide best possible instructions to the children with learning disability as they find it difficult to adjust in schools. The source of best support and good resources should be initiated in the school environment by the teachers. Therefore, the present study was aimed to investigate knowledge and attitude regarding autism among school teachers serving children with autism in India.

Objectives of the Study

• To assess the knowledge concerning autism among school teachers in selected schools of Shimla (H.P.)

• To assess the attitude concerning autism among school teachers in selected schools of Shimla (H.P.)

• To find out the correlation between knowledge and attitude concerning autism among school teachers in selected schools of Shimla (H.P.)

• To find out the association of knowledge score concerning autism among school teachers with selected demographic variables

To find out the association of attitude score concerning autism among school teachers with selected demographic variables.

• Research Approach: Quantitative Research Approach 

• Research Design: Non-Experimental Descriptive research design.

• Setting of the study: Selected schools of Shimla (H.P)

• Study Population: School teachers of selected schools of Shimla (H.P)

• Sample Size: 100 school teachers

• Sampling Technique: Non-Probability, Convenient sampling technique 

Informed consent was taken from selected school teachers and confidentiality of the school teachers was also maintained.

Inclusive Criteria

School teachers available during the period of data collection in study setting and who were willing to participate in the study. 

Exclusive Criteria

School teachers who were not willing to participate in the study and were not present during data collection.

Development of Tools

Self-structured questionnaires and likert scale.

Description of Tools

Section I: Sociodemographic Profile: This part of the tool consists of the socio-demographic data related to the school teachers which is developed by reviewing various studies. This tool provides personal information about the school teachers such as age, gender, marital status, educational qualification, years of experience, attended any training concerning autism, previous knowledge concerning autism, source of knowledge concerning autism and any exposure with autistic child.

Section II: Structured Knowledge Questionnaire Concerning Autism among School Teachers

The maximum possible score on this questionnaire is 33 and the minimum score is 0. There are 33 items in the questionnaire. Items measure the knowledge of the school teachers. The participants are required to respond on a four choices.

Section III: Structured Attitude Scale Concerning Autism among School Teachers

This attitude scale is developed as a means of assessing the attitude of teachers concerning autism. This scale consists of 20 statements on a three point Likert scale in a form that asked for the level of agreement or disagreement or not sure. Responses are scored in such a way that the endorsement of positively worded statements and negatively worded statements assigned a higher score. Each item has 3 alternatives agree, not sure and disagree.

Validity of Tool 

By the experts in this field.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Section-I: Description of sociodemographic variables concerning autism among school teachers.

Table 1 shows the frequency and percentage distribution of demographic variables. Majority of the school teachers (47%) were in the age group of 36-45 years followed by age group (30%) of 25 to 35 years and others (23%) were in the age group of 46 to 55 years. Majority of school teachers were Females (65%) followed by (35%) Males. Majority of school teachers were Married (95%) followed by (5%) Unmarried. Majority of the school teachers were Post-graduate (72%) followed by M.Phil. (16%), Graduate (7%) and (5%) Ph.D. Majority of school teachers had above 11 years of experience (41%) followed by 6 to 10 years (34%) and others (25%) had 0 to 5 years of experience. Majority of the school teachers had not attended any training concerning autism (98%) whereas, (2%) had attended. Majority of the school teachers were having no previous knowledge concerning autism (65%) whereas, (35%) had. Majority of the school teachers had, (8%) Colleagues, (3%) Family and (1%) Friends. Majority of the school teachers had no any exposure with autistic child (89%) whereas, (11%) had.

Table 1: Frequency and Percentage Distribution of Sociodemographic Variables (N = 100)

Section-II

Part-1: Findings related to assessment of levels of knowledge concerning autism among school teachers.

Table 2 Showed

 majority of the school teachers (76%) had moderate knowledge, (15%) had adequate knowledge and (9%) had inadequate knowledge.

Table 2: Frequency and Percentage Distribution of School Teachers according to their Levels of Knowledge (N = 100)

Section-II

Part-2: Findings related to assessment of attitude concerning autism among school teachers.

Table 3 shows that majority of school teachers had positive attitude (78%) and others (22%) of them had negative attitude.

Table 3: Frequency and Percentage Distribution of Attitude Concerning Autism among School Teachers N = 100

Section – III

Part-1: Findings related to correlation between levels of knowledge and attitude concerning autism among school teachers.

Table 4 showed that there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.063) at 0.05 level of significance between knowledge and attitude concerning autism among school teachers.

Table 4:   Correlation between Levels of Knowledge and Attitude Concerning Autism among School Teachers (N = 100)

*Significant Positive Correlation

Section-III

Part-2: Findings related to association of level of knowledge with selected demographic variables concerning autism among school teachers shows that association of level of knowledge with selected demographic variables concerning autism among school teachers i.e. school teacher’s age (c² = 18.673, df = 4 and table value = 9.488), educational status (c² = 49.287, df = 6 and table value = 12.592), years of experience (c² = 16.498, df = 4 and table value = 9.488), previous knowledge concerning autism (c² = 11.606, df = 2 and table value = 5.991) and source of knowledge concerning autism (c² = 25.647, df = 10 and table value = 18.307) are significantly associated with school teacher’s level of knowledge. Whereas no significant association was found between level of knowledge with other demographic variables.

Part-3

Findings related to association of attitude selected demographic variables concerning autism among school teachers shows that association of attitude with selected demographic variables concerning autism among school teachers i.e. age (c² = 8.098, df  = 2 and table value = 5.991), gender (c² = 8.322, df = 1 and table value = 3.841), previous knowledge concerning autism (c² = 11.499, df = 1 and table value = 3.841), and source of knowledge concerning autism (c² = 12.366, df = 5 and table value = 11.070)   is significantly associated with school teacher’s attitude concerning autism whereas no significant association was found between attitude with other demographic variables.

The present study concluded that the most of the school teachers were having moderate level of knowledge (76%) and positive attitude (78%) concerning autism. The present study findings also revealed that there was a significant positive correlation (r = 0.637) at 0.05 level of significance between knowledge and attitude concerning autism among school teachers in selected schools of Shimla (H.P.). The present study concluded that there is a need for school institutions to pay their attention for school teachers to realize that autism is not just a disease of social impairment and to address impairment in language and abnormal repeated movements as diagnostic features of autism. It is thus important that these children are diagnosed correctly and at the earliest. This would ensure early intervention which would help them live a more refine life.

Recommendations

In the view of the findings reported in the present study, the following recommendations are made for further research:

• A pre-experimental study to determine the effectiveness of educational handbook of identification and management of children with autism among school teachers can be conducted

• A quasi-experimental study can be conducted to determine the effectiveness of educational handbook on the effects of intellectual functioning on outcome of early behavioral intervention for children with autism

• A comparative study to assess the knowledge and attitude concerning autism among parents of urban and rural area can be conducted

• A descriptive study on the children with autism spectrum disorder and patterns of participation in daily physical and play activities can be conducted

• A comparative study can be conducted between Govt. and Private schools

• Similar study can be conducted on large sample size.

• A similar study can be conducted among the under Graduate and post Graduate nursing students

• Similar studies can also be conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude concerning autism among health care providers

1. Is it autism?" Autism Research Institute, 2021, https://www.autism.org/is-it-autism/. Accessed November 2021.

2. Zeliadt, N. “School survey in India reveals low autism prevalence.” Spectrum News, 2017, https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/school-survey-india-reveals-low-autism-prevalence/. Accessed November 2021.

3. "Autism spectrum disorder: The dilemma of untimely recognition, intervention, and diagnostic scales obtainable at Indian sub-continent." ResearchGate, 2021, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337650456_Autism_Spectrum_Disorder_The_Dilemma_of_Untimely_Recognition_Intervention_and_Diagnostic_Scales_Obtainable_at_Indian_Sub-continent. Accessed November 2021.

4. Rudra, A. et al. “Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder and autistic symptoms in a school-based cohort of children in Kolkata, India.” Autism Research, vol. 10, no. 10, 2017, pp. 1597–1605.

5. Raina, S.K. et al. “Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among rural, urban, and tribal children (1–10 years of age).” Journal of Neurosciences in Rural Practice, vol. 8, no. 3, 2017, pp. 368–374.

6. Corkum, P. et al. “Professional development needs for educators working with children with autism spectrum disorders in inclusive school environments.” Exceptionality Education International, vol. 24, no. 1, 2014.