Requirements for the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder: Specialists’ Perception

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the requirements for the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the challenges facing its application, as perceived by specialists. The sample consisted of 423 specialists, with a mean age of 39.54 years and a standard deviation of 5.24, in the field of special education who work in the government and private sectors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The descriptive survey method was used. A questionnaire (set by the authors) was employed as a research tool. It consisted of 2 parts: The first gathered general information about the sample, while the second covered 4 dimensions distributed over 35 items. Statistical methods such as the mean, standard deviation, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were applied using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 26). The results showed that the most important requirements for the application of AI in the diagnosis of ASD, as perceived by specialists, are the organizational, human, and financial requirements. It was also observed that the most common barrier to the use of AI in the diagnosis of ASD is the lack of awareness of the importance of applications of AI in the diagnosis of ASD. In light of these results, the research presents recommendations that would help specialists and agencies related to the diagnosis of ASD to facilitate the application of AI in the diagnostic process.