ASD knowledge deficits contribute to disparities in the timing and quality of ASD services. To address the limitations with existing measures of ASD knowledge, we developed and examined the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire (ASK-Q), which comprehensively assesses multiple subdomains of ASD knowledge while maintaining strong psychometric support and cross-cultural utility. ASK-Q items derived from the published research are organized into four subscales: (i) diagnosis, (ii) etiology, (iii) treatment, and (iv) stigma. ASK-Q items were selected based on ratings of face, construct, and cross-cultural validity by a group of 16 international researchers. Using Diagnostic Classification Modeling we confirmed the proposed factor structure and evaluated the statistical validity of each item among a lay sample of 617 participants.

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Autism spectrum disorder or autism is seen world-wide, however in Tanzania there is emerging awareness and understanding about the disorder among teachers. This study examines the knowledge outcomes of teachers after a multi-day training on autism at three sites across the country. A total of 99 teachers completed the training. At the end of the training, there was a significant increase in the knowledge scores on an autism knowledge measure across all sites. There was a significant difference in knowledge scores across sites, with teachers at one site scoring higher than teachers in both other sites. Reasons why are further discussed. This study provides a detailed description of how to increase the awareness of autism in the teaching community in Tanzania with positive outcomes.

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