A Causal-Comparative Study: Teacher Efficacy with Students with Autism

The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study is to compare teacher self-efficacy among elementary, middle, and high school teachers of students with autism. Self-efficacy in teaching is the unwavering belief that a teacher can deliver highly effective instruction to foster positive learning outcomes in students with autism. Teachers confident in their abilities to accommodate the needs of students with autism can provide the necessary support, adjust their teaching methods, and create learning opportunities that promote the development of essential skills. The sample size included elementary, middle, and high school teachers from public schools across the northwest region of the United States. The study utilized the Autism Self-Efficacy Scale for Teachers (ASSET) to assess the effectiveness of teachers in educating students with autism. The data was collected via a questionnaire on Survey Monkey. The One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to statistically analyze the differences among elementary, middle, and high school teachers who educate students with autism. The medium effect size of the ANOVA revealed a significant difference in teacher efficacy scores among elementary, middle, and high school educators; p=0.04 suggesting a rejected null hypothesis. With the rejected null hypothesis, a Tukey test was conducted to compare all possible group mean pairs across the three grade levels. Future studies may include incorporating paraeducators among teachers to see if paraeducator efficacy scores differ from teachers', with the addition of a mixed-methods research design to hinder possible Type I and Type II errors.