Autism spectrum disorders : professionals attitudes, knowledge and needs

Poremećaj iz spektra autizma je kompleksno stanje koje uključuje postojanje izazova na mnogobrojnim razvojnim područjima. Prevalncija poremećaja iz spektra autizma u konstantnom je porastu, a time i uključivanje djece s poremećajem iz spektra autizma u redovni odgojno obrazovni sustav. Zbog svega navedenog, bitno je da edukacijski rehabilitatori koji rade s djecom s poremećajem iz spektra autizma imaju prikladna znanja i vještine za rad sa samom djecom, ali i ostalima u njihovom okruženju. U istraživanju su sudjelovali edukacijski rehabilitatori iz redovnog odgojno obrazovnog sustava i edukacijski rehabilitatori iz posebnog odgojno obrazovnog sustava. Radi ostvarivanja cilja rada provedeno je kvantitativno istraživanje putem ASD-EAST: INICIJALNI UPITNIK ZA EDUKACIJSKE REHABILITATORE U HRVATSKOJ, MAKEDONIJI I POLJSKOJ u kojem je sudjelovalo 103 edukacijskih rehabilitatora i kvalitativno istraživanje kroz dvije fokus grupe u kojima je ukupno sudjelovalo 6 edukacijskih rehabilitatora. Kvantitativni dio istraživanja prikazuje rezultate upitnika kroz 3 hipoteze koje ispituju postoje li razlike u znanju, stavovima i potrebama edukacijskih rehabilitatora s obzirom na sustav u kojem rade, program po kojem su završili studij i godine iskustva u radu s osobama s poremećajem iz spektra autizma. Kvalitativni dio istraživanja prikazuje rezultate fokus grupa koje su dale dublji uvid u izazove s kojima se nose edukacijski rehabilitatori, ali i koje metode koriste u radu i o kojim metodama bi željeli više naučiti. Rezultati kvantitativnog istraživanja su djelom potvrdili hipoteze jer su razlike kod edukacijskih edukatora prisutne s obzirom na sustav u kojem rade, program po kojem su završili studij i godine iskustva u radu s osobama s poremećajem iz spektra autizma, ali samo u dijelu čestica. Rezultati kvalitativnog istraživanja su pokazali da edukacijski rehabilitatori najviše izazova imaju u suradnji i podučavanju drugih sudionika edukacijsko rehabilitacijskog procesa, ali i u radu sa samom djecom s poremećajem iz spektra autizma. TakoĎer se pokazalo da u radu najviše koriste vizualnu podršku i metode za poticanje komunikacije, ali prisutne su i razne prilagodbe škole. Ukazuje se i ističe potreba za daljnjim istraživanjima na ovom području.Autism spectrum disorder is a complex state that involves existence of challenges in many developmental areas. Prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is constantly increasing, and thus the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder into a regular educational system. Because of all this, it is essential that education rehabilitators working with children with autism spectrum disorder have appropriate knowledge and skills to work with the children themselves, but also others in their environment. The study included education rehabilitators from the regular education system and educational rehabilitators from the special education system. Quantitative research was carried out through ASD-EAST: INITIATIVE QUESTIONNARE FOR EDUCATIONAL REHABILITATORS IN CROATIA, MACEDONIA AND POLAND, involving 103 educational rehabilitators and qualitative research through two focus groups, involving 6 education rehabilitators. The quantitative part of the research shows the results of the questionnaire through three hypotheses that examine whether there are differences in the knowledge, attitudes and needs of educational rehabilitators considering the system in which they work, a program through which they compleated their education and years of experience in working with people with autism spectrum disorder. The qualitative part of the research shows the focus group results that gave a deeper insight into the challenges that educational rehabilitators are carrying out, and which methods they use in the work and about which methods they would like to learn more. The results of the quantitative research have partly comfirmed the hypotheses because the differences in education rehabilitators are present considering the system in which they work, a program through which they compleated their education and the years of experience in dealing with persons with a disorder in the autism spectrum but only in a few of the particles. The results of qualitative research have shown that educational rehabilitators have the most challenge in co-operating and teaching other participants in the educational rehabilitation process, but also in dealing with children with autism spectrum disorder. It has also been shown that they mostly use visual support and methods for promoting communication, but there are also various adjustments of the school. There is a need for further studies on this subject