Bridging Knowledge Gaps Among Parents of Children with Autism: Implications for Empowerment and Inclusive Practice in Malaysia

Families raising children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Malaysia continue to face uncertainty and limited understanding of effective treatment and developmental outcomes, despite growing access to professional therapies. This cross-sectional study examined parental knowledge of ASD among Malaysian parents whose children were receiving speech, occupational, or behavioural interventions. Parental knowledge was assessed using the Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale – General Population version (ASKSG) among 471 parents. Results showed uneven knowledge across domains: symptom recognition was relatively stronger, whereas understanding of treatment, assessment, aetiology, and outcomes remained critically low. Overall, 85.4% of parents were classified as having low knowledge. Chi-square analyses indicated significant associations between knowledge and demographic variables such as education, age, employment, and income; however, these factors did not sufficiently mitigate the observed gaps. The findings suggest that participation in therapy services alone may not equip parents with the conceptual insight necessary to facilitate their child’s progress. Sustained empowerment through structured learning is therefore essential to enhance parental understanding across all domains of autism knowledge. Situated within Malaysia’s multicultural and Muslim-majority context, this study offers an important reference point for identifying shortcomings in inclusive practice, particularly in relation to parental literacy, educational provision, and system-level support shaped by cultural values.