Autism Centre of Excellence, School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia; Griffith Institute of Educational Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
Griffith Institute of Educational Research, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
Res Dev Disabil. 2019 Mar;86:11-19. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2018.12.009. Epub 2019 Jan 7.
At least 50% of students on the autism spectrum experience clinical or subclinical levels of anxiety but there is scant research on how teachers respond to anxiety in children on the spectrum.
To compare teacher responses to anxiety-related behaviour in students who do and do not have a diagnosis on the spectrum using the Teacher Responses to Anxiety in Children (TRAC).
Teachers (N = 64), predominantly from mainstream primary schools, completed an online survey comprised of a demographic questionnaire and two versions of the TRAC, one for students without autism and one for students with autism.
Teachers report differences in the way they would likely respond to anxiety-related behaviours observed in students with and without autism. Teachers reported being more likely to use anxiety-promoting responses for students with autism who are showing behaviours indicative of general and separation anxiety, but not when they are showing behaviours indicative of social anxiety. Whilst there was no significant difference in the overall likelihood of use of autonomy-promoting responses between groups, there were differences in the likelihood of using specific autonomy-promoting responses dependent upon diagnosis and type of anxiety.
Teachers report they are likely to respond differently to anxiety-related behaviours of students on the autism spectrum but the impact of this on the behaviour of these students is yet to be determined. Professional development is a priority to increase teacher knowledge about anxiety-related behaviours in students with autism and the ways in which teachers' responses may promote or reduce anxiety and autonomy.
至少有 50%的自闭症谱系学生经历过临床或亚临床水平的焦虑，但对于教师如何应对自闭症谱系儿童的焦虑问题，研究甚少。
使用儿童焦虑教师反应量表（TRAC）比较教师对有和没有谱系诊断的学生的焦虑相关行为的反应。
教师（N=64）主要来自主流小学，完成了一项在线调查，其中包括一份人口统计问卷和 TRAC 的两个版本，一个针对没有自闭症的学生，另一个针对有自闭症的学生。
教师报告说，他们对有和没有自闭症的学生表现出的焦虑相关行为的反应方式存在差异。教师报告说，他们更有可能对表现出一般和分离焦虑行为的自闭症学生采取促进焦虑的反应，但对表现出社交焦虑行为的学生则不会。尽管在使用促进自主反应的总体可能性方面，两组之间没有显著差异，但在依赖于诊断和焦虑类型的情况下，使用特定促进自主反应的可能性存在差异。
教师报告说，他们可能会对自闭症谱系学生的焦虑相关行为做出不同的反应，但这对这些学生的行为的影响尚未确定。专业发展是当务之急，以增加教师对自闭症学生焦虑相关行为的了解，以及教师的反应可能促进或减轻焦虑和自主性的方式。
