Building Teacher Capacity for Inclusive Practice with Autistic Pupils: A Mixed-Methods Study of Self-Efficacy, Training, Attitudes, and School Context

Autistic pupils in mainstream secondary schools often experience unmet needs, yet limited research has examined the combined influence of multiple theoretically relevant predictors of teachers’ self-efficacy and intentions to implement inclusive practice for autistic pupils. This mixed-methods study surveyed 126 staff from six secondary schools, assessing autism-specific training, perceived inclusiveness of school environment, experience with autistic pupils, neurodiversity-affirming attitudes, personal connection to autism, and staff role. Teacher self-efficacy and intentions for inclusive practice were measured using adapted scales, and hierarchical multiple regression identified significant predictors. Autism-specific training, perceived quality of the inclusive environment, years of experience with autistic pupils, classroom teacher role, and neurodiversity-affirming attitudes predicted higher self-efficacy. Together, these explained 42.1% of the variance. Intentions for inclusive practice were predicted by neurodiversity-affirming attitudes and training, explaining 27.5% of variance. Thematic analysis of open-text responses revealed practical adjustments including clear communication, sensory adaptations, and emotional regulation supports, alongside challenges such as resource constraints, complex classroom dynamics, and inconsistent institutional support. Findings highlight the value of targeted autism-specific training and fostering neurodiversity-affirming attitudes, supported by inclusive school environments, to strengthen teacher capacity and sustain inclusive practice.