Abstract
BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder primarily impacting social communication and behavior. The prevalence of ASD has been rapidly increasing, leading to a corresponding rise in the number of children with ASD attending mainstream schools. Preschool and primary school teachers have a vital role in identifying and supporting these children. However, the extent of teachers' Attitudes towards including children with ASD in their classrooms remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the attitude towards including children with autism spectrum disorders in their classrooms, and the associated factors among preschool and primary school teachers in public schools in Addis Ababa. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Data from preschool and primary school teachers were collected using a self-administered questionnaire between September 2023 and December 2023. The collected data were analyzed utilizing SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were employed to summarize the findings, while bivariate binary logistic regression was utilized to examine associations between variables. RESULTS: The study findings revealed that from a total sample of 416 teachers, only 35.5% of teachers had adequate knowledge, and the mean attitude score was 3.4, indicating a slight positive inclination towards inclusive education. Furthermore, teachers who have previous experience with students with special needs are six times more likely to have a positive attitude towards inclusive education (AOR = 6, 95% CI = 1.05-40.7). Teachers with a positive attitude towards including students in regular classes were 72% more likely to have adequate knowledge (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.1-0.6). Teachers with a positive attitude towards including students in regular classes were 72% more likely to have adequate knowledge (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.1-0.6). Conversely, teachers who identify behavioral and emotional problems of autistic children as a challenge are 94% less likely to have a positive attitude towards inclusive education (AOR = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.05-0.7). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The findings of this study indicate that teachers displayed a generally positive attitude towards ASD. This highlights the need for increased emphasis on educational interventions aimed at enhancing attitudes towards ASD further.