ERIC Number: EJ1303661
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Aug
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1362-3613
EISSN: N/A
Another Step to School Inclusion: Development and Validation of the Children's Attitudes toward Autism Questionnaire
Derguy, Cyrielle; Aubé, Benoite; Rohmer, Odile; Marotta, Federica; Loyal, Déborah
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice, v25 n6 p1666-1681 Aug 2021
Negatives attitudes toward children with autism are an important barrier to school inclusion. Despite the increasing amount of research, no psychometrically sound scale reliably measures these attitudes in young students. Our aim was to develop and validate a tool (Children's Attitudes Toward Autism Questionnaire) to evaluate attitudes (three dimensions) of students in elementary school toward peers with autism. Elementary school students (N = 204) completed the Children's Attitudes Toward Autism Questionnaire and two other scales assessing behavioral intentions toward peers with mental disability (Shared Activities Questionnaire-B) and familiarity with disability and autism. The confirmatory factor analysis first showed a satisfactory model fit (X[superscript 2/df] = 3.65, root mean square error of approximation = 0.114, adjusted goodness of fit index = 0.970, standardized root mean square residual = 0.067, comparative fit index = 0.967, and non-normed fit index = 0.963) and internal consistency for each dimension was good (>0.70). Second, attitudes were more positive in girls, older children, and children familiar with disability (but not with autism). The behavioral dimension of the Children's Attitudes Toward Autism Questionnaire had the strongest association with the Shared Activities Questionnaire-B. The Children's Attitudes Toward Autism Questionnaire is the first scale (1) to assess the three dimensions of attitudes toward autism (2) among children (from the age of 6 years old) and (3) to show good psychometric quality. With the Children's Attitudes Toward Autism Questionnaire, researchers can reliably measure children's attitudes toward peers with autism, which is especially necessary when evaluating the effectiveness of much-needed anti-stigma programs.
Descriptors: Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Inclusion, Attitudes toward Disabilities, Student Attitudes, Elementary School Students, Childrens Attitudes, Student Behavior, Gender Differences, Age Differences, Familiarity, Psychometrics, Test Construction, Test Validity, Test Reliability, Intention, Foreign Countries, Questionnaires
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2814
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: France
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A