Linking knowledge and attitudes: Determining neurotypical knowledge about and attitudes towards autism

"Why are neurotypicals so pig-ignorant about autism?" an autistic person wrote on the Curtin Autism Research Group's on-line portal as a response to a call for research questions. Co-produced with an autistic researcher, knowledge about and attitudes towards autism were analysed from...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	PloS one 2019-07, Vol.14 (7), p.e0220197-e0220197
Main Authors:	Kuzminski, Rebecca, Netto, Julie, Wilson, Joel, Falkmer, Torbjorn, Chamberlain, Angela, Falkmer, Marita
Format:	Article
Language:	eng
Subjects:	Adolescent Adult Aged Aged, 80 and over Attitude (Psychology) Attitudes Australia - epidemiology Autism Autistic Disorder - psychology Biology and Life Sciences Care and treatment College students Communication Cross-Sectional Studies Demographic variables Demographics Disability Education Families & family life Female Friendship Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Higher education Human acts Human behavior Humans Jargon Knowledge Male Medicine and Health Sciences Middle Aged Occupational therapy Pathology Peers People and Places Physical Sciences Prejudice - psychology Prejudice - statistics & numerical data Psychological aspects Quality of life Research and Analysis Methods Schizophrenia Social aspects Social Distance Social isolation Social Sciences Social Stigma Social work Speech therapy Stigma Surveys and Questionnaires Swine Young Adult
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Summary:	"Why are neurotypicals so pig-ignorant about autism?" an autistic person wrote on the Curtin Autism Research Group's on-line portal as a response to a call for research questions. Co-produced with an autistic researcher, knowledge about and attitudes towards autism were analysed from 1,054 completed surveys, representing the Australian neurotypical adult population. The majority, 81.5% of participants had a high level of knowledge and 81.3% of participants had a strong positive attitude towards autism. Neither age, nor education level had an impact on attitudes. However, attitudes were influenced by knowledge about 'Societal Views and Ideas'; 'What it Could be Like to Have Autism'; and the demographic variables 'Knowing and having spent time around someone with autism'; and gender (women having more positive attitudes than men). Thus, targeted interventions, geared more towards men than women, to increase knowledge about autism could further improve attitudes and increase acceptance of the autistic community.
ISSN:	1932-6203 1932-6203