Abstract
Objectives The purpose of this study is to explore differences in attitudes toward the inclusion of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in physical education (PE) between male and female teachers. Methods This cross-sectional survey study included responses from 180 physical education teachers, including 86 men (mean age 39.79 ± 9.99 years) and 94 women (mean age 42.86 ± 9.92 years), in Slovakia. Each participant completed the modified version of the Attitudes toward Teaching Individuals with Physical Disabilities in Physical Education-Revised survey, as well as a brief demographic questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U-test and Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests were used to analyze data. Results Attitudes were generally positive, with no significant differences between males and females overall. However, significant differences were revealed in exploring negative outcomes for teachers. For example, female teachers were significantly more likely to reject the negative attributes of the inclusion of students with ASD in PE lessons than male teachers (U = 3260, p = 0.025*). Conclusions This is the first study to explore differences in attitudes among men and women in Slovakia toward teaching students with ASD. Future research is needed to further explore differences in particular outcomes associated with students with ASD in physical education.
Published Version
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