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Early childhood educators’ knowledge and attitudes about developmental screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ABSTRACT The importance of early intervention for developmental disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, is increasingly recognized as critical to children’s later success, making it necessary to better understand how professionals who work regularly with young children view the use of developmental screening in their professional practice. This study examined knowledge and attitudes toward developmental screening practices among 130 early childcare and education providers. Survey methodology was used to collect and analyze information on providers’ perceptions of administering developmental screening, barriers to using screening in early childhood education settings, and differences in perceived barriers among providers with varying knowledge of autism spectrum disorder. Providers reported little knowledge of common screening tools but a willingness to use these tools if trained to do so. Ratings of perceived barriers to screening aligned with the behavior intentions and perceived behavioral control constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior, illustrating reasons why providers may or may not view screening as feasible in their respective settings. Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder was not related to perceived barriers to screening, suggesting that other factors need to be considered when designing early childhood screening programs. These and other implications are discussed in relation to future research and practice.