Social Distance, Stigma, and Help-Seeking: A Comparison of Lay and Professional Conceptualizations of Autism in the Southern US

Understanding stigma, help-seeking and barriers to treatment for persons with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is essential for informing interventions toward increased relevance and utility. An array of sociocultural and individual factors can influence lay beliefs and behavioral responses to ASD, including stigma and social distancing (i.e., preference for distance from autistic individuals). It is important to consider the Explanatory Models of ASD among helping professionals (e.g., health care, education) as they are likely touchstones along the help-seeking pathway for children with ASD. The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to explore factors in the southern United States associated with different aspects of the EM, namely how background factors (demographics), knowledge, and familiarity with ASD are related to social distancing, autism stigma, and help-seeking; and 2) to elicit and compare beliefs about ASD among groups of lay persons and professionals (i.e., healthcare professionals, teachers) on the frontline of initiating the help-seeking pathway. Quantitative surveys (n = 343) and open-ended data were collected from individuals in the southern United States. Quantitative results indicated: increased knowledge was associated with lower levels of stigma and social distancing; more preference for social distance was associated with decreased help-seeking; more education and ASD knowledge were associated with increased help-seeking intentions. Similarly, the data suggests that individuals with higher levels of ASD knowledge were more likely to endorse positive attitudes towards help-seeking from professionals. Educators had more ASD knowledge than the lay community. However, educators were less likely to seek help from all sources on the measure of general help-seeking (GHSQ-V). Qualitative data indicated significant differences between groups in terms of causes and treatment of ASD. Educators and healthcare workers more frequently endorsed neurodevelopmental disorders as the cause of ASD-like symptoms compared to the lay community. While the lay community and healthcare professionals more frequently recommended psychological treatment, educators were more likely to suggest multiple, specific treatments. Overall, the present study indicated the importance of ASD knowledge and how that knowledge impacts each individual’s ability and willingness to provide access to the help-seeking pathway

Social Distance, Stigma, And Help-Seeking: An Exploration Of Autism Beliefs In The Southern United States

Stigma has been associated with physical and mental health conditions and their treatment long before formal care systems. Negative perceptions within the lay community, such as stigma and social distancing, negatively impact individuals with autism and their families. The purpose of this study was to explore factors associated with autism stigma among laypeople in the Southern United States. Specifically, the study explored how demographics, knowledge, and familiarity are related to social distancing and stigma, and how these factors relate to beliefs about and intentions of help-seeking. Using a lay sample (N=108) of rural Southern towns, survey data was collected in two community settings (healthcare centers and churches). The survey consisted of questionnaires designed to measure an individual’s knowledge of ASD, stigma, social distancing, and help-seeking attitudes. Multiple hierarchical regressions examined the following hypotheses: 1) demographics (i.e., age, gender, education level, and income level), ASD knowledge, and ASD familiarity will predict stigma 2) demographics, knowledge, and familiarity will predict social distancing 3) demographics, knowledge, familiarity, stigma, and social distancing will predict help-seeking intentions. Results partially supported the hypotheses. That is, individuals who have higher levels of ASD knowledge are less likely to hold stigmatized attitudes towards individuals with ASD. Individuals more familiar with someone with autism were less likely to prefer greater social distance. People who preferred higher amounts of social distance were more likely to avoid seeking help than individuals who had preference for less social distance. It appears that both are needed in order to reduce social distancing and increase help-seeking intentions. Taken together, these findings indicate an increased need for awareness and intervention campaigns that provide psychoeducation along with opportunities for interaction. Contrary to previous literature, there were no indications that demographic variables (i.e., age, gender, educational level, or income level) significantly predicted any of these variables. Future research should focus on larger sample sizes with increased diversity in background and beliefs. Increased male representation would be helpful, as would efforts to study ASD phenomena in other regions of the United States and in the world