Assessment of Elementary Schools Teachers' Knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorders

Background: ASDs have become a serious public health concern in Iraq. Cambridge University published a special study in 2011, which revealed that 75 out of every 10,000 Iraqi children were autistic and University of Guilford in 2012 revealed that more than 5,000 Iraqi children are autistic. Objective(s): This study aims to assess elementary schools teachers' knowledge about autism spectrum disorders. Methodology: A quasi-experimental design (purposive study) used to guide this study, it was applied by the use of pre-post- test approach for two groups of samples (case and control) to determine the effectiveness of an educational program on elementary schools teachers' knowledge about autism spectrum disorder in Al-Diwaniyah Educational Directorate during the period from (25th September, 2021) to (1st April, 2022). A non-probability purposive sample was selected from all the schools teachers. The total number of teachers who attended to the chosen place during the study period and who fulfilled the study criteria was (50). These (50) teachers were divided into two groups (25) teachers as a group of cases who are exposed to the educational program and (25) teachers who were not exposed to the educational program as a control group. Results of the study: The results shows that teachers are showing poor level of knowledge during the pre-test time (76%). Conclusion: The researcher concludes that the teachers knowledge about Autism spectrum disorders is under the estimated levels. Recommendations: Educational lectures and workshops should be conducted regularly, updated, and circulated to all teaching staff in elementary schools. Providing elementary schools with an educational booklet prepared by the researcher.