Date of Award

1-1-2015

Language

English

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

College/School/Department

Department of Psychology

Program

Clinical Psychology

Content Description

1 online resource (ii, 44 pages) : illustrations

Dissertation/Thesis Chair

Kristin V Christodulu

Committee Members

Melissa L Rinaldi

Keywords

autism, positive behavior support, teacher self-efficacy, Autism spectrum disorders, Children with autism spectrum disorders, Autistic children, Teachers, Self-efficacy, Burn out (Psychology), Special education teachers, Teacher-student relationships

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology | Special Education and Teaching

Abstract

School professionals who work with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) play a significant role in the academic experiences of these students (Ruble & McGrew, 2013). Unfortunately, some evidence suggests that teachers of students with ASD experience a high risk of burnout (Coman et al., 2013), due in part to the multiple challenges associated with teaching students with ASD (Iovannone, Dunlap, Huber, & Kincaid, 2003). Research has begun to examine factors that ameliorate or prevent teacher burnout, including teacher self-efficacy, or teachers’ beliefs regarding their abilities to bring about positive outcomes for their students (Ruble, Usher, & McGrew, 2011). The present study examined variables associated with the self-efficacy of school professionals for working with students with ASD, including knowledge about ASD, prior experience working with students with ASD, and prior training in ASD and evidence-based practices. A second goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of training on ASD and positive behavior supports on school professionals’ knowledge and self-efficacy related to working with students with ASD. Results of the present study suggest the importance of training to school professionals’ self-efficacy, highlighting the need for continued efforts to provide quality training to individuals who work with students with ASD.

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