Awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) among public university Students in Bangladesh

Abstract

Background: Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) affects communication and learning, yet remains less identified throughout South Asia. The study investigated public university students’ awareness, factual knowledge and attitudes towards DLD in Bangladesh, with a focus on gender and regional differences. Method: The research used a cross-sectional survey method to gather data from 167 participants between 18 and 30 years old who studied at public universities across all eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh. The researchers used an online questionnaire, which was validated by the experts in the field. The survey instrument used a Likert scale and multiple-choice items to assess participants' understanding of DLD, their factual knowledge, and their attitudes. The researchers used both descriptive and inferential statistics to analyse participant responses. Results: The participants demonstrated average to strong self-assessed understanding of DLD (M = 6.51, SD = 1.79) and displayed positive attitudes towards DLD (M = 15.28, SD = 3.59). The participants demonstrated poor factual knowledge of DLD (M = 1.26, SD = 1.17) because their recognition of the condition did not match their actual comprehension. The regression results showed that knowledge and attitudes both influenced awareness, but attitudes had a stronger effect. The study found that female students outperformed male students in every domain, and students in Dhaka demonstrated better understanding and more positive attitudes about DLD than students from other peripheral areas. The study also found that DLD attitudes differ substantially between different regions because these areas experience different levels of exposure and inclusiveness. Conclusion: The research explored that students hold a favourable positive attitude about DLD, yet lack sufficient knowledge about the condition, which requires specific awareness programs and educational initiatives.