ASD Knowledge Questionnaire (ASD-Q)

Abstract

The Autism Spectrum Disorder Knowledge Questionnaire (ASD-Q), published by Taresh et al. in 2024, is a specialized psychometric instrument designed to evaluate the level of knowledge held by preschool teachers concerning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). A primary focus of the scale is assessing their capability to accurately identify characteristic autism symptoms in young children within educational settings. The ASD-Q was methodologically adapted from two existing scales: the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire (Harrison et al., 2017) and an earlier autism knowledge questionnaire developed by Al-Sharbati et al. (2015).

Comprising 27 items, the questionnaire organizes knowledge assessment across four critical domains: Diagnosis and Symptoms, Treatment, Etiology, and General Information. The scale was initially administered to Yemeni preschool teachers who were divided into intervention and comparison groups, specifically to test the efficacy of an educational module designed to enhance ASD identification (EMiASD).

Keywords

Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD-Q, Autism Knowledge, Preschool Education, Teacher Training, Yemen, Identification, Etiology, Psychometric Scale.

Authors

Sahar Mohammed Taresh, Laura M. Morett, Sumaia Mohammed Zaid, Samsilah Roslan, Mohammed Taresh Taleb, Pu Song, Nor Aniza Ahmad, Sarah Noman.

Purpose

The fundamental purpose of the ASD-Q is the precise evaluation of preschool teachers’ foundational knowledge regarding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This knowledge assessment is crucial because early identification of ASD symptoms often relies on the observational skills and awareness of frontline educators.

Specifically, the instrument aims to quantify the educators’ understanding of key diagnostic indicators and their self-reported capability to detect these symptoms in children under their care. The development of the scale was integral to testing an educational intervention (EMiASD) designed to improve identification skills among teachers in Yemen.

Construct

The primary psychological construct measured by the ASD-Q is Autism Knowledge and Attitudes. This construct encompasses an educator’s cognitive understanding of ASD across various dimensions, including symptomatology, accepted treatment modalities, and theories concerning etiology.

By examining these areas, the scale provides a comprehensive profile of the educator’s readiness and competence in handling issues related to ASD, which is vital for effective inclusive education practices and referral processes.

Validity

The initial publication of the ASD-Q (Taresh et al., 2024) did not explicitly indicate specific measures of validity, such as construct validity, criterion validity, or content validity. While the instrument was adapted from established sources, formal psychometric validation data for the final 27-item structure was not reported in the primary reference.

Reliability

The reliability of the ASD-Q was established through measures of Internal Consistency. The overall reliability coefficient for the 27-item scale was reported as 0.89, indicating a strong level of homogeneity among the items.

Reliability scores varied across the four distinct domains of the questionnaire. The domain reliability ranged from a low of 0.68 for the Etiology domain to a high of 0.80 for the General Information domain. These figures suggest adequate to good reliability across the subscales.

Factor Analysis

The authors of the ASD-Q reported that Factor Analysis was not conducted as part of the initial instrument development and validation study. The domain structure (Diagnosis and Symptoms, Treatment, Etiology, and General Information) was derived conceptually based on the adaptation of items from predecessor questionnaires.

Instrument

Test Type: Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: Paper-based administration utilizing a 5-point Likert scale response format.

Language Available: Not explicitly stated, but administered in the context of Yemeni teachers, suggesting Arabic or potentially English translation.

Population Group: Educational professionals (specifically preschool teachers).

Age Group: 18–64 years

Population Details: Preschool teachers residing and working in Yemen.

Test Methodology: Psychometric methodology focused on establishing internal consistency and reliability testing. Response options range from 1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree.

Keywords

Autism Screening, Knowledge Assessment, Educational Module, EMiASD, Psychometric Properties, Likert Scale, Internal Consistency.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: 0000-0003-1795-1606 (Samsilah Roslan)

Affiliation Email addresses: The correspondence email is [email protected], associated with Sahar Mohammed Taresh.

Correspondence Address: Not explicitly provided beyond institutional affiliations (Taiz University, University of Missouri, Sana’a University, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Guiyang Preschool Education College).

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 2024 (Based on publication date of Taresh et al.)

Permissions and Fees: Information regarding commercial permissions or required fees for scale use is not provided in the primary academic reference. Researchers should contact the corresponding author, Sahar Mohammed Taresh, for permission to utilize the instrument.

Reference’s

Taresh, S. M., Morett, L. M., Zaid, S. M., Roslan, S., Taresh Taleb, M., Song, P., Ahmad, N. A., & Noman, S. (2024). Preschool teachers’ knowledge, beliefs, and self-efficacy concerning autism: A parallel mixed-methods study of an intervention to improve autism identification. Autism, 28(1), 239–253. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613231211850

The original study details can be accessed via the DOI link above.

Items of the ASD Knowledge Questionnaire (ASD-Q)

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

The ASD-Q consists of 27 items measuring teachers’ knowledge across four domains: Diagnosis and Symptoms, Treatment, Etiology, and General Information.