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Mainstream preschool teachers’ skills at identifying and referring children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)


Citation

Mohammed Taresh, Sahar and Ahmad, Nor Aniza and Roslan, Samsilah and Ma'rof, Aini Marina and Mohammed Zaid, Sumaia (2020) Mainstream preschool teachers’ skills at identifying and referring children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (12). pp. 1-16. ISSN 1660-4601

Abstract

Background: Early intervention will help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to attain early learning reinforcement. This study focuses on exploring the ability of preschool teachers to identify children with ASD and their referral decision-making process. Method: This is a mixed-method study (qualitative and quantitative methods) involving 20 respondents. The qualitative study is based on an open question case study, while the quantitative study consists of questionnaire with demographic variables to identify the effect of the demographic variables on the preschool teachers’ ability to identify children with ASD. Sample: The sample was selected via convenience sampling among mainstream preschool teachers. The data was analyzed using SPSS software and thematic analysis. Results: The findings show that preschool teachers did not have skills at identifying children with ASD, and the majority of them labelled children with ASD as spoilt or hyperactive children. They also viewed children with ASD as having other disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or communication disorders such as introversion. Moreover, preschool teachers expressed that the reason for the child’s behaviour could be due to the parents’ inability to properly educate their child. Additionally, the demographic variables of the preschool teachers, such as age, education level and teaching experience, were found not to affect their ASD identification skills. Conclusion: Preschool teachers need to improve their skills in identifying ASD among children via training.


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Official URL or Download Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/12/4284

Additional Metadata

Item Type: Article
Divisions: Faculty of Educational Studies
DOI Number: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124284
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; Identify; Identifications skills; Refer; Preschool teachers
Depositing User: Mohamad Jefri Mohamed Fauzi
Date Deposited: 13 Oct 2021 08:08
Last Modified: 13 Oct 2021 08:08
Altmetrics: http://www.altmetric.com/details.php?domain=psasir.upm.edu.my&doi=10.3390/ijerph17124284
URI: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/86619
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