Parental Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Parents of Children Aged 18–36 Months: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to explore the level of knowledge about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in parents aged 18–36 months.
METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was performed in 354 parents with 18–36-month-old children between August 01, 2022, and January 31, 2023, in family health care centers. Participants were evaluated face-to-face with sociodemographic data and the modified early childhood screening (modified checklist for autism in toddlers [M-CHAT]) Scale. It is the assessment of ASD and a 23-question scale.
RESULTS: Of the study, 65.3% participants were female, and the mean age of parents was 34.9±5.7 years. Almost all parents reported to having heard of a disease called autism. 68.9% stated that the diagnosis should be performed by an experienced physician through clinical examination and observation, whereas 81.6% reported that they would consult a clinician immediately if their child’s speech was delayed. Another striking result emerging from our analyses was that, although the participants had heard of ASD before, the most authoritative source of information was social media. The question with the highest number of correct answers was asked whether your child should look at you when calling their name. The question with the lowest number of correct answers was that your child does not play imaginary games. Additionally as the parents' educational level of increased M-CHAT scores, of children being identified as high risk for ASD, based on significantly decreased.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This study showed that parents had limited knowledge of autism. Educational status and having children were found to be associated with autism awareness. If the parents recognize the symptoms of autism in their child, they can seek medical help.

Keywords: Autism, autism spectrum disorder, awareness, parents, primary health care