Assessing the Knowledge on Developmental Delays and Disabilities of Psychology Graduate Students in Zambia, Africa

• In Event: 3-245 - Atypical Child Development in Zambia, Africa: Parent-Mediated Intervention, Graduate Student Training and Community Stigma

Integrative Statement

There is a vast amount of child developmental atypicalities and insubstantial knowledge pertaining to these conditions – to name a few: autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). ASD is the fastest growing childhood disorder in the world (Imran, Chaudry, Azeem, Bhatti, Choudhary, & Cheema, 2011) with an eminent rise in prevalence within Sub-Saharan African countries (Fombonne, 2003; Vos et al., 2010). Despite the concerning propagation of ASD, healthcare providers in Sub-Saharan Africa remain unaware of ASD symptoms, compromising optimal prognosis and early intervention services (Bakare et al., 2009). Further, medical professionals in Africa have also shown statistically significant variations regarding ASD prognosis and treatment (Heidgerken, Geffken, Modi, & Frakey, 2005) alluding to discrepant information received about ASD, if any.

Within Africa, South Africa has one of the highest global rates of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Approximately 1,700 infants are born with FASD daily (Lange et al., 2017). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)—the most severe form of FASD—is also rapidly increasing in this area (Denis et al., 2005). Even with the continuous risk of FASD, still a paucity of awareness and diagnostic services remains within these communities (Clarren, Lutke, & Sherbuck, 2011). These prevalence rates of ASD and FASD emphasize the need for education pertaining to: etiologies, appropriate identification methods, effective prevention strategies when warranted and sustainable intervention strategies. This dearth of knowledge pertaining to child development atypicalities among professionals within Africa emphasizes the critical need for education. Therefore, this project assessed and enhanced the current knowledge of atypical child development among graduate students at the University of Zambia (UNZA).

Graduate students (n=18; Mage=33 years) pursuing their Masters in Applied Psychology at UNZA in Lusaka completed a 34-item self-report questionnaire before and after an interactive 3-hour training led by an American developmental psychologist. The questionnaire measured knowledge of atypical child development (e.g., etiology, symptoms, and treatment) pertaining to various child developmental atypicalities (e.g., ASD, FASD, Down syndrome, speech delays, childhood schizophrenia).

A paired-samples t-tests was employed and showed a significant increase in students’ knowledge before (M=34.26, SD=17.78) and after (M=59.63, SD=19.57) the training on atypical child development, t(17)= -4.598, p < .001. In particular, students’ knowledge significantly increased pertaining to ASD, t(17)= -5.989, p < .001, and FASD, t(17)= -3.272, p = .004.

The educational training session successfully increased the knowledge of child development atypicalities among Zambian psychology graduate students by an average of 25%. Gauging and enhancing the knowledge of such conditions, especially within graduate students, is imperative given that graduate students are in preparation to become professional leaders in their respective fields. Further, graduate students within underserved communities are in pivotal roles to: 1) directly attend to the lacking and needed resources for these children and their families and 2) sustain dissemination of educational materials pertaining to child development atypicalities. This research is one the first to measure graduate student knowledge about child developmental atypicalities. The findings importantly address how informative trainings can educate professionals’ mindsets – with aspiration to transfer this into their communities.

Authors

• Gabriela Aquino, St. Mary's University
  Presenting Author

• Jillian Pierucci, St. Mary’s University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alexandra Pearson, University of Houston-Clear Lake
  Non-Presenting Author

• Monica Perez, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sylvia Mwanza-Kabaghe, The University of Zambia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Francis Sichimba, The University of Zambia
  Non-Presenting Author

• Haatembo Mooya, The University of Zambia
  Non-Presenting Author