Autism Awareness of Mothers Scale (AAMS): A Study of Validity and Reliability

Year 2023, , 1 - 11, 19.12.2023

Burak Neng , Alican Sarısaltık , Seyhan Hıdıroğlu , Melda Karavuş

https://doi.org/10.37233/TRSPED.2023.0139

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the autism awareness of mothers having typically developing children at preschool age and to investigate the validity and reliability of the Autism Awareness of Mothers Scale (AAMS). This methodological study was conducted with 136 mothers applying to a family health center in Istanbul, Türkiye. Data were collected in July-August 2021. The AAMS was a 4-point Likert-type scale and consisted of a total of 23 items. The factor structure of the scale was extracted by performing exploratory factor analysis. The median age of the participants was 32 years. Almost all the participants (91.9%) stated that they have heard the word ‘autism’ before. One-third of the mothers defined autism as a “social interaction problem” (33.1%). As a result of factor analysis, the AAMS had a two-factor structure, with Eigenvalues of 7.480 for Factor 1 and 4.978 for Factor 2 and explained 54.17% of total variance. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was found to be 0.947 for AAMS (0.933 and 0.876 for subscales, respectively). According to our results AAMS is a valid and reliable measurement tool. It can be used in Türkiye and in Turkish to determine autism awareness of mothers of typically developing preschool children.

Keywords

Autism, awareness, mother, preschooler, scale

Annelerin Otizm Farkındalığı Ölçeği (AOFÖ): Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı, okul öncesi dönemde ve normal gelişim gösteren çocuğu olan annelerin otizm farkındalıklarını değerlendirmek ve Annelerin Otizm Farkındalık Ölçeği'nin (AOFÖ) geçerlik ve güvenirliğini araştırmaktır. Bu metodolojik araştırma, İstanbul ilinde bir aile sağlığı merkezine başvuran 136 anne ile yapıldı. Veriler Temmuz-Ağustos 2021 tarihlerinde toplandı. AOFÖ 4'lü Likert tipinde bir ölçek olup toplam 23 maddeden oluşmaktaydı. Açımlayıcı faktör analizi yapılarak ölçeğin faktör yapısı çıkarıldı. Katılımcıların ortanca yaşı 32 idi ve tamamına yakını (%91,9) 'otizm' kelimesini daha önce duyduklarını belirttiler. Annelerin üçte biri otizmi “sosyal etkileşim sorunu” olarak tanımladı (%33,1). Faktör analizi sonucunda AOFÖ’nün özdeğerleri sırasıyla 7.480 ve 4.978 olan iki faktörlü bir yapıya sahip olduğu ve toplam varyansın %54,17'sini açıkladığı görüldü. AOFÖ için Cronbach alfa katsayısı 0,947 olarak bulundu (alt ölçekler için sırasıyla 0,933 ve 0,876). Sonuçlarımıza göre AOFÖ geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçme aracıdır. Okul öncesi dönemde çocukları olan annelerin otizm farkındalıklarını belirlemek için Türkiye'de ve Türkçe olarak kullanılabilir.

Keywords

Otizm, farkındalık, anne, okul öncesi, ölçek

References

• Alobaid, A. S., & Almogbel, E. (2022). Awareness of autism spectrum disorder among pre-school teachers in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. Health Psychology Research, 10(3), 37676. https://doi.org/10.52965/001c.37676
• Alsehemi, M. A., Abousaadah, M. M., Sairafi, R. A., & Jan, M. M. (2017). Public awareness of autism spectrum disorder. Neurosciences Journal, 22(3), 213-215. https://doi.org/10.17712/nsj.2017.3.20160525
• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5. American Psychiatric Association.
• Arslan, K. (2023). Otizmli bireylere yönelik toplumsal farkındalık düzeyinin incelenmesi. Avrasya Uluslararası Araştırmalar Dergisi, 11(34), 28-47. https://doi.org/10.33692/avrasyad.1167352
• Ates, S., & Rakap, S. (2021). Otizm spektrum bozukluğuna sahip çocukları olan annelerinin okulöncesi eğitim hizmetleri sürecine ilişkin deneyimlerinin incelenmesi. Turkish Journal of Special Education Research and Practice, 3(1), 23-46. https://doi.org/10.37233/TRSPED.2021.0111
• Chansa-Kabali, T., Nyoni, J., & Mwanza, H. (2019). Awareness and knowledge associated with autism spectrum disorders among university students in Zambia. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49, 3571-3581. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04044-7
• Clark, L. A., & Watson, D. (2019). Constructing validity: New developments in creating objective measuring instruments. Psychological Assessment, 31(12), 1412-1427. https://doi.org/10.1037/pas0000626
• Conner, C. M., White, S. W., Scahill, L., & Mazefsky, C. A. (2020). The role of emotion regulation and core autism symptoms in the experience of anxiety in autism. Autism, 24(4), 931-940. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320904217
• Cook, A., Ogden, J., & Winstone, N. (2020). The effect of school exposure and personal contact on attitudes towards bullying and autism in schools: A cohort study with a control group. Autism, 24(8), 2178-2189. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320937088
• Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Pearson.
• Hodges, H., Fealko, C., & Soares, N. (2020). Autism spectrum disorder: definition, epidemiology, causes, and clinical evaluation. Translational Pediatrics, 9(Suppl 1), S55. https://doi.org/10.21037/tp.2019.09.09
• Karabekiroğlu, K., Cakin-Memik, N., Ozcan-Ozel, O., Toros, F., Öztop, D., Özbaran, B., Cengel-Kultur, E., Akbai, S., Taşdemir, G. N., Ayaz, M., Aydın, C., Bildik, T., Erermiş, S., & Yaman, A. K. (2009). DEHB ve otizm ile İlgili bilgi düzeyleri ve damgalama: sınıf öğretmenleri ve anababalarla çok merkezli bir çalışma. Klinik Psikiyatri, 12, 79-89.
• Kinnear, S. H., Link, B. G., Ballan, M. S., & Fischbach, R. L. (2016). Understanding the experience of stigma for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and the role stigma plays in families’ lives. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 942-953. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2637-9
• Kostiukow, A., Poniewierski, P., Strzelecki, W., & Samborski, W. (2020). Assessment of student's knowledge and awareness of autism spectrum disorder. Polski Merkuriusz Lekarski: Organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego, 48(284), 87-92.
• Lord, C., Brugha, T. S., Charman, T., Cusack, J., Dumas, G., Frazier, T., Jones, E. J. H., Jones, R. M., Pickles, A., State, M. W., Taylor, J. L. & Veenstra-VanderWeele, J. (2020). Autism spectrum disorder. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 6(1), 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-019-0138-4
• Maenner, M., Shaw, K., Baio, J., Washington, A., Patrick, M., DiRienzo, M., Christensen, D., Wiggins, L., Pettygrove, S., Andrews, J., Lopez, M., Hudson, A., Baroud, T., Schwenk, Y., White, T., Rosenberg, C., Lee, L. C., Harrington, R., Huston, M., . . .Dietz, P. (2020). Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years: Autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2016. MMWR Surveillance Summaries, 69, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6904a1
• McClain, M. B., Mills, A. M. H., & Murphy, L. E. (2017). Inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity among children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity-disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 70, 175-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2017.09.009
• Mukaka, M. J. M. M. J. (2012). Statistics corner: a guide to appropriate use of correlation in medical research. Malawi Medical Journal, 24(3), 69-71.
• Nurosis, M. (1994). Statistical data analysis. SPSS Inc.
• Park, I., Gong, J., Lyons, G. L., Hirota, T., Takahashi, M., Kim, B., Lee, S.-Y., Kim, Y. S., Lee, J., & Leventhal, B. L. (2020). Prevalence of and factors associated with school bullying in students with autism spectrum disorder: A cross-cultural meta-analysis. Yonsei Medical Journal, 61(11), 909-922. https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2020.61.11.909
• Rakap, S., Balikci, S., & Kalkan, S. (2018). Teachers’ knowledge about autism spectrum disorder: The case of Turkey. Turkish Journal of Education, 7(4), 169-185. https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.388398
• Rakap, S., Balikci, S., Kalkan, S., & Aydin, B. (2022). Knowledge of autism spectrum disorder among the general population in Turkey: Implications for public training and education. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 69(2), 565-577. https://doi.org/10.1080/1034912X.2020.1719047
• Rakap, S., Balikci, S., Parlak-Rakap, A., & Kalkan, S. (2016). An analysis of Turkish pre-service teachers’ knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Implications for teacher preparation programs. SAGE Open, 6(3), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/215824401666885
• Regier, D. A., Narrow, W. E., Clarke, D. E., Kraemer, H. C., Kuramoto, S. J., Kuhl, E. A., & Kupfer, D. J. (2013). DSM-5 field trials in the United States and Canada, Part II: test-retest reliability of selected categorical diagnoses. American Journal of Psychiatry, 170(1), 59-70. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.12070999
• Taber, K. S. (2018). The use of Cronbach’s alpha when developing and reporting research instruments in science education. Research in Science Education, 48, 1273-1296. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-016-9602-2
• Terzioğlu, N. K. Özel Eğitimde Akran Zorbalığı: Öğretmen Görüşlerine Dayalı Nitel Bir Çalışma. Turkish Journal of Special Education Research and Practice, 4(1), 64-90. https://doi.org/10.37233/TRSPED.2022.0123
• Wainscot, J. J., Naylor, P., Sutcliffe, P., Tantam, D., & Williams, J. V. (2008). Relationships with peers and use of the school environment of mainstream secondary school pupils with Asperger syndrome (high-functioning autism): A case-control study. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 8(1), 25-38.
• Wei, H., Li, Y., Zhang, Y., Luo, J., Wang, S., Dong, Q., Tao, Y., Gong, L., Feng, Y., Shi, M., Cao, Z., Liu, Y., Chen, L., Liu, X., Dai, Y., Qu, L., Song, Z., Chen, J., Li, T., & Cheng, Q. (2022). Awareness and knowledge of autism spectrum disorder in Western China: Promoting early identification and intervention. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 970611. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.970611