Parental Attitudes and Awareness of Sustainable Energy Consumption in the Opinion of Young People with Autistic-Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Implications for the Family Budget

Bożena Frączek,Katarzyna Plutecka,Anna Gagat-Matuła

doi:10.3390/en15051730

Bożena Frączek, Katarzyna Plutecka + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/en15051730

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Abstract

Energy efficiency through energy saving is a key trend in the modern world. Analyses have been conducted by scientists in different fields on various target groups that influence sustainable energy consumption. The aim of the research presented in this article is to determine the association between parental attitudes and awareness of sustainable energy consumption in the perception of young people with ASD (13–17 years old). This was a pilot study. The diagnostic-survey method was used, along with The Scale of Parental Attitudes by M. Plopa and an authored survey questionnaire. Deliberate random sampling was applied. A statistical analysis showed a relationship between the acceptance attitude of both parents and the autonomy attitude of one parent—the father—and awareness of sustainable energy consumption among young people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition, a critical literature review confirmed the necessity of combining energy awareness and financial awareness, as each aspect, in terms of energy savings, reflects the financial situation of the household and influences the household budget. This is extremely important in the case of vulnerable groups such as households with a person with a disability (e.g., children with ASD). This research is interdisciplinary and covers important scientific fields such as pedagogy, psychology, and economics.

Highlights

The worldwide energy consumption fell in 2020 by 4% due to the global pandemic, the previous period between the years 2000–2018 was characterized by a growth in energy consumption by an average of 2% per year [1]
At the beginning of the analysis, it was necessary to recall the results of the first stage of the research, which was the answer to the question: what parental attitudes do the father and mother present and are there significant differences in the perception of adolescents with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
The aim of the study was the recognition of parental attitudes and awareness of sustainable energy consumption in the opinion of young people with ASD

Summary

Introduction

The worldwide energy consumption fell in 2020 by 4% due to the global pandemic, the previous period between the years 2000–2018 was characterized by a growth in energy consumption by an average of 2% per year [1]. One of the most important problems in the contemporary world is the increasing energy consumption, and the unnecessary and excessive energy use. This repeatedly identified problem has resulted in many efforts being undertaken to reduce energy wastage. This is the main reason behind the idea of sustainable energy consumption in our modern developed and sustainable world. Awareness and knowledge are often used interchangeably in certain contexts, there is a distinct difference between these two concepts To understand this difference, it is worth remembering that there are significant relationships between them. A person with environmental awareness is defined as someone who is aware of environmental issues and, since he or she views the environment as a matter of personal concern, is willing to look after it and ‘fight’ for it [16]

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