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. 2022 Jun 8;11(12):3294. doi: 10.3390/jcm11123294

Table 2.

Results of Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test for the comparison of parents’ and professionals’ answers on the first section of Telemedicine Expectations Questionnaire: expectations on the uses and potential benefits of telemedicine.

Statement Parents
(n = 45)		 HP
(n = 50)
Mean
(SD)		 Median
(IQR)		 Mean
(SD)		 Median (IQR) p-Value
USES AND WILLINGNESS

  1. Telemedicine is a useful tool for diagnosing ASD

 2.98 (0.94) 3 (2–4) * 3.4 (0.76) 3 (3–4) 0.0223
  • b.

    Telemedicine is a useful tool for treating ASD

 3.09 (0.97) 3 (2–4) 3.32 (0.87) 3 (3–4) 0.2104
  • c.

    Telemedicine is a useful tool for communicating diagnoses or providing recommendations to families

 1.93 (0.96) 2 (1–3) 2.26 (0.90) 2 (2–3) 0.0598
  • d.

    Telemedicine is a useful integration into traditional face-to-face diagnosis

 2.11 (1.21) 2 (1–3) * 2.62 (0.83) 3 (2–3) 0.0061
  • e.

    Telemedicine is a useful integration into traditional face-to-face treatment

 2.13 (1.10) 2 (1–3) * 2.84 (0.93) 3 (2–4) <0.0001
  • f.

    I am willing to use telemedicine as a routine tool for the diagnosis of ASD

 2.98 (1.18) 3 (2–4) 2.98 (1.33) 3 (2–4) 0.9509
  • g.

    I am willing to use telemedicine as a routine tool for the treatment ofASD

 3.09 (1.08) 3 (2–4) 2.36 (1.17) 2 (1–3) * 0.0026
  • h.

    I am willing to use telemedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of ASD only in emergency situations

 1.69 (1.18) 1 (1–2) 1.82 (1.22) 1 (1–2) 0.4588
Total a–h 20 (7.41) 19
(14–25)		 21.6 (6.21) 22
(17–26)		 0.1445
POTENTIAL BENEFITS
  • i.

    Telemedicine is a useful tool for improving parenting skills in managing behavioural problems in children and adolescents with ASD

 2.31 (1.26) 2 (1–3) * 2.82 (0.80) 3 (2–3) 0.0147
  • j.

    Telemedicine is a useful tool for reducing behavioural problems of children and adolescents with ASD at home

 3.22 (1.22) 3 (3–4) 3.52 (0.76) 4 (3–4) 0.4219
  • k.

    Telemedicine reduces costs for accessing care (e.g., travel time, transportation expenses, missed work)

 2.02 (1.25) 2 (1–3) 2.06 (0.79) 2 (2–2) 0.2262
  • l.

    Telemedicine saves time (waiting time in clinics, travel time to the centre, etc.)

 1.91 (1.18) 1 (1–2) 1.78 (0.76) 2 (1–2) 0.8223
  • m.

    Telemedicine improves the management of family routine

 2.04 (1.22) 2 (1–3) * 2.62 (0.88) 3 (2–3) 0.0034
  • n.

    Telemedicine increases flexibility in offering care services

 1.93 (1.19) 2 (1–2) * 2.42 (0.90) 2 (2–3) 0.0034
  • o.

    Telemedicine allows both divorced parents to contribute to their child’s assessment or intervention

 1.89 (1.13) 2 (1–2) * 2.16 (0.77) 2 (2–3) 0.0243
  • p.

    Telemedicine allows the ASD child to be observed in the home environment

 1.89 (1.04) 2 (1–3) 2.16 (0.82) 2 (2–3) 0.0726
Total i–p 17.22 (8.23) 16
(11–23) *		 19.54 (4.63) 20
(17–22)		 0.0207

ASD—autism spectrum disorder; HP—healthcare professionals; sd—standard deviation; in bold < p-value < 0.05; * significantly lower scores.