The impact of autism awareness of mothers of preschool children on the level of microbiota awareness

The relationship between gut microbiota and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has gained significant attention in recent years, with growing evidence This study explores whether heightened awareness of autism, particularly regarding microbiota, influences the perceptions and knowledge of mothers, and whether this awareness correlates with a more informed approach to managing microbiota in children with autism. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 434 mothers of preschool children in Turkey between March and August 2024. G*Power 3.1 and SPSS-22 program were used in the analysis of the study. The regression model developed to reveal the impacts of Autism Awareness level on microbiota awareness level was found to be significant F(1,432) = 66.386, p = 0.001 and 13.3% of the variance in the dependent variable (R2=0.133) was explained by the independent variable. Autism Awareness level has a positive and significant impact on microbiota awareness level (β = 0.365; t (432) = 8.148, p = 0.001). It was determined that increased autism awareness of individuals increased microbiota awareness. Longitudinal studies on autism awareness in mothers of preschool children are recommended. Investigating the relationship between autism awareness and microbiota in mothers of preschool children could significantly contribute to the development of holistic approaches to child development and health, as well as effective parent education programs.