{"title":"College Students Recognize Characteristics of Autism, but Struggle to Differentiate Between Characteristics of Autism and Other Disabilities.","authors":"Camilla M McMahon","doi":"10.1007/s10803-024-06631-9","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The current study evaluates whether college students can identify characteristics of autism as diagnostic for autism, and characteristics of other disabilities as not diagnostic for autism. This study also examines metacognitive awareness of autism knowledge, evaluating whether college students can accurately calibrate their confidence in their beliefs about autistic characteristics. 283 college students completed the Autism Symptomatology Knowledge Assessment (McMahon et al. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 71:101499, 2020). In this assessment, participants were presented with characteristics of autism and other disabilities and asked to identify which characteristics could be used to diagnose someone with autism. For each characteristic, participants indicated how certain they were in their response. Participants more accurately categorized characteristics of autism, particularly social interaction and communication challenges, as being consistent with an autism diagnosis. Participants had more difficulty identifying that characteristics of other disabilities, especially anxiety, ADHD, and learning disabilities, were not diagnostic for autism. For autistic characteristics, participants' confidence and accuracy were positively correlated, such that participants who responded accurately were more confident in their response than those who responded inaccurately. For other disability characteristics, confidence and accuracy were typically not correlated or inversely correlated, indicating poor metacognitive awareness. College students confuse autism with other disabilities, which may have important implications in real-world contexts. Furthermore, individuals with poor metacognitive awareness of their autism knowledge may not realize that they are confusing autism with other disabilities, such that they may not seek out additional corrective information about autism.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06631-9","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The current study evaluates whether college students can identify characteristics of autism as diagnostic for autism, and characteristics of other disabilities as not diagnostic for autism. This study also examines metacognitive awareness of autism knowledge, evaluating whether college students can accurately calibrate their confidence in their beliefs about autistic characteristics. 283 college students completed the Autism Symptomatology Knowledge Assessment (McMahon et al. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 71:101499, 2020). In this assessment, participants were presented with characteristics of autism and other disabilities and asked to identify which characteristics could be used to diagnose someone with autism. For each characteristic, participants indicated how certain they were in their response. Participants more accurately categorized characteristics of autism, particularly social interaction and communication challenges, as being consistent with an autism diagnosis. Participants had more difficulty identifying that characteristics of other disabilities, especially anxiety, ADHD, and learning disabilities, were not diagnostic for autism. For autistic characteristics, participants' confidence and accuracy were positively correlated, such that participants who responded accurately were more confident in their response than those who responded inaccurately. For other disability characteristics, confidence and accuracy were typically not correlated or inversely correlated, indicating poor metacognitive awareness. College students confuse autism with other disabilities, which may have important implications in real-world contexts. Furthermore, individuals with poor metacognitive awareness of their autism knowledge may not realize that they are confusing autism with other disabilities, such that they may not seek out additional corrective information about autism.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders seeks to advance theoretical and applied research as well as examine and evaluate clinical diagnoses and treatments for autism and related disabilities. JADD encourages research submissions on the causes of ASDs and related disorders, including genetic, immunological, and environmental factors; diagnosis and assessment tools (e.g., for early detection as well as behavioral and communications characteristics); and prevention and treatment options. Sample topics include: Social responsiveness in young children with autism Advances in diagnosing and reporting autism Omega-3 fatty acids to treat autism symptoms Parental and child adherence to behavioral and medical treatments for autism Increasing independent task completion by students with autism spectrum disorder Does laughter differ in children with autism? Predicting ASD diagnosis and social impairment in younger siblings of children with autism The effects of psychotropic and nonpsychotropic medication with adolescents and adults with ASD Increasing independence for individuals with ASDs Group interventions to promote social skills in school-aged children with ASDs Standard diagnostic measures for ASDs Substance abuse in adults with autism Differentiating between ADHD and autism symptoms Social competence and social skills training and interventions for children with ASDs Therapeutic horseback riding and social functioning in children with autism Authors and readers of the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders include sch olars, researchers, professionals, policy makers, and graduate students from a broad range of cross-disciplines, including developmental, clinical child, and school psychology; pediatrics; psychiatry; education; social work and counseling; speech, communication, and physical therapy; medicine and neuroscience; and public health.
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