Related Data for Thesis/Dissertation: The effect of diagnostic labels on preschool teachers' perception towards strengths and difficulties in students with autism spectrum disorder

This study aims to investigate the effects of diagnostic labels on preschool teachers’ attitudes towards the strengths and difficulties of students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the mainstream preschool setting in Singapore. Secondarily, it aims to explore whether preschool teachers’ attitudes would differ depending on the disclosure of a specific or a generic label, and to investigate the factors affecting preschool teachers’ attitudes towards students with ASD. The sample consisted of 106 mainstream preschool teachers (seven male and 99 female; age range = 21 – 58 years) from Singapore. Using a mixed-method design, a total of 15 vignettes depicting characteristics of students with ASD as strengths, difficulties, and neutral behaviors were developed for this study and presented via an online survey in a randomized order. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: ASD Label, Special Needs Label, No Label. Respectively, participants in each group were told that the students in the vignettes were identified as having an ASD diagnosis, a special needs diagnosis, or were not informed that the student in the vignette has any diagnoses. Participants were asked to rate their openness towards the featured student and complete a measure of their ASD knowledge. Findings suggest that the disclosure of a student’s special needs label improved teachers’ attitudes (i.e., greater openness) towards the difficulties faced by students with ASD compared to when no label was disclosed. The disclosure of an ASD label did not result in similar improvements in teachers’ attitudes. There were no significant differences in teachers’ attitudes towards the strengths of students with ASD when a diagnostic label was disclosed, but qualitative feedback from participants indicated that they would perceive the student with ASD most positively if the student’s difficulties were also perceived as his/her source of strengths. No significant individual predictors were found regarding teachers’ attitudes towards students with ASD.