Parents' knowledge and attitude and behavior toward autism: a survey of Chinese families having children with autism spectrum disorder

Fang Wang; U-Chong Lao; Yi-Pei Xing; Ping Zhou; Wen-Lin Deng; Yu Wang; Yue Ji; Miao-Ying Chen; Hai Li; Xiao-Bing Zou

doi:10.21037/tp-22-113

Parents' knowledge and attitude and behavior toward autism: a survey of Chinese families having children with autism spectrum disorder

Transl Pediatr. 2022 Sep;11(9):1445-1457. doi: 10.21037/tp-22-113.

Authors

Fang Wang^#¹, U-Chong Lao^#¹, Yi-Pei Xing¹, Ping Zhou², Wen-Lin Deng³, Yu Wang¹, Yue Ji¹, Miao-Ying Chen¹, Hai Li², Xiao-Bing Zou¹

Affiliations

¹ Child Development and Behavior Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.
² Rehabilitation Medicine Department, Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China.
³ Department of Pediatrics, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: In recent years, parent-mediated intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has increased. Therefore, implementing effective parent training programs for parents of children with autism is of paramount importance, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. However, little is known about the status of and gaps in parents' knowledge on ASD, which may hinder the development of valid parental training programs. Herein, we aimed at exploring the status of Chinese parents' knowledge, attitude and behavior toward ASD, and potential factors affecting the acquisition of correct knowledge.

Methods: This study used a self-designed parental knowledge questionnaire of autism (PKQA) comprising 20 questions alongside another questionnaire comprising additional 17 questions covering the aspects of family demographics, attitudes, and behaviors of parents. In total, we included 394 parents who visited the outpatient department of the Child's Development and Behavior Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University between December 2018 and May 2019, with their children meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for ASD.

Results: The median knowledge score in the PKQA was 15 [interquartile range (IQR), 13-17]. Advanced paternal age and longer time interval from diagnosis to enrolling into the parent training program were associated with a lower total knowledge score (all P<0.001). Higher maternal education attainment, higher family income, child being currently under intervention, and family members sharing a common perception of the diagnosis were associated with a higher total knowledge score (all P<0.01). Reading autism-related books (P<0.001) or attending professional lectures (P=0.019) were also associated with a higher total knowledge score.

Conclusions: Taken together, this study revealed that family demographics and parents' attitudes and behaviors toward ASD may significantly influence their knowledge about autism, suggesting the need for promoting more targeted parental skills training programs.

Keywords: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD); Chinese; parental knowledge; questionnaires; the generalized linear model (GLM).