Volume 13, Number 1, Spring 2018

Caregiver Perceptions and the Age of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis

AUTHOR(S):

  • Twyla Y. Perryman, Ph.D, CCC-SLP, University of West Georgia, Carrollton, GA, USA
  • Linda R. Watson, Ed.D., CCC-SLP, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

ABSTRACT

In an effort to understand what may lead to differences in age of diagnosis for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), this study investigated correlates of the timing of diagnosis. These correlates include individual differences in magnitude of concerns about early “red flag” behaviors and attributions of initial symptoms. The findings indicate that caregivers’ level of worry about initial ASD symptoms and caregivers’ attributions of the symptoms to behavioral challenges were related to age of ASD diagnosis. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that individual differences in caregivers’ knowledge and interpretation of symptoms related to ASD may have an impact on age of ASD identification, and may have implications for promoting public awareness of symptoms related to ASD.

DOI:

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