A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude regarding Care of Autistic Children among Parents of Autistic Children in Selected Centers of Dehradun, Uttarakhand with a View to Develop Self Instructional Module

Autism is a complex neurobehavioral condition that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors. Because of the range of symptoms, this condition is now called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Symptoms of autism typically appear during the first three years of life. Some children show signs from birth. Others seem to develop normally at first, only to slip suddenly into symptoms when they are 18 to 36 months old. Bringing up a child with autism can be challenging for parents, especially when other people do not understand the issues. The knowledge of the caregivers regarding the care of children with autism is highly important in rearing a child with autism. A descriptive study was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude regarding care of autistic children among parents of autistic children in selected centers of Dehradun. A quantitative research approach was used for this study. The sample consisted of 50 parents in selected autism care centers of Dehradun. They were selected by Non Probability convenient sampling technique. A structured knowledge questionnaire and a likert scale was used for the data collection. Data was analyzed and interpreted by using descriptive and inferential statistics. It shows that majority (56 %) of parents had moderate knowledge with a mean knowledge percentage of 50.33 %. Also, majority (52 %) of parents had a positive attitude towards care of autistic children. Moreover, a moderately positive correlation was found between the knowledge level and attitude.