Examination of the Attitudes of Sports Science Students Towards Autism Spectrum Disorder in Terms of Various Variables

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the attitudes of sports science students towards Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the context of various variables. The research was conducted in a survey model. To determine the participants' attitudes towards Autism Spectrum Disorder, the "Autism Spectrum Disorder Attitudes Scale (ASDAS)" developed by Flood et al. (2013) and adapted to Turkish by Batum (2019) was employed as the data collection tool. Additionally, a 9-item personal information form was included in the data collection tool, addressing participants' gender, academic class, major, the presence of individuals with autism in their immediate surroundings, willingness to work with individuals with autism, participation in programs, seminars, or courses related to autism, knowledge about the educational settings and processes for individuals with autism, awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder in society, and preferred educational environment for individuals with autism. The data collected from the participants were analyzed using SPSS-25 software. A total of 239 students, consisting of 89 females and 150 males, participated in the study. The results indicated significant differences in the attitudes of students towards Autism Spectrum Disorder concerning the gender variable and the knowledge sub-dimension of ASDAS, the desire to work with individuals with autism and the social attitude and personal distance sub-dimensions of ASDAS, knowledge about the educational settings and processes for individuals with autism and the personal distance sub-dimension of ASDAS, awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder in society and the total score and knowledge sub-dimension of ASDAS, the major variable and the personal distance sub-dimension of ASDAS, and the preferred educational environment for individuals with autism and the social attitude and knowledge sub-dimensions of ASDAS. In conclusion, it was observed that attitudes towards Autism Spectrum Disorder are not solely determined by individuals' educational level or knowledge but are also influenced by social, cultural, and individual factors.