Zeleke Waganesh A, Hughes Tammy L, Kanyongo Gibbs
Department of Counseling, Psychology and Special Education, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Department of Educational Foundations and Leadership, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
Front Psychiatry. 2021 Feb 23;11:583674. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.583674. eCollection 2020.
This study examines the effect of professional development training on educators' and practitioners' knowledge of Autism and the use of culturally responsive practices. Using a single group, pre-post design, data was gathered from 34 educators and health professionals (i.e., teachers, counselors, psychologists, therapists, therapeutic care workers, social workers, and nurses) in Ethiopia. A week-long training covering ASDs and culturally responsive evidence-based training was provided to participants. Results showed significant improvement in participants' knowledge about ASD symptoms, nature, characteristics, as well as intervention selection. Participants' use of culturally informed approaches, in their area of professional service, showed a high level of participants' knowledge and low-level use of culturally responsive practices, policies, and procedures. Recommendations for addressing cultural factors impacting the diagnosis and treatment-seeking approaches to ASD in Africa are provided.
本研究考察了专业发展培训对教育工作者和从业者关于自闭症的知识以及文化响应性实践运用的影响。采用单组前后测设计，从埃塞俄比亚的34名教育工作者和健康专业人员（即教师、顾问、心理学家、治疗师、治疗护理人员、社会工作者和护士）收集数据。为参与者提供了为期一周的涵盖自闭症谱系障碍和基于证据的文化响应性培训。结果显示，参与者在自闭症谱系障碍症状、性质、特征以及干预选择方面的知识有显著提高。参与者在其专业服务领域对文化知情方法的运用表明，参与者对文化响应性实践、政策和程序的了解程度较高，但运用水平较低。本文还提供了应对影响非洲自闭症诊断和寻求治疗方法的文化因素的建议。
