ERIC Number: EJ1478478
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Aug
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3257
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3432
Available Date: 2024-05-14
The Influence of Social and Developmental Factors on the Timing of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis of Preschool-Aged Children: Evidence from a Specialized Chilean Center
Mauricio A. Lopez-Espejo1,2; Alicia C. Nuñez1,2; Valentina Saez2; Melanie Ruz2; Odalie C. Moscoso2; Alejandra Vives3
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, v55 n8 p2797-2806 2025
We investigated the influence of developmental and social factors on the age of autism diagnosis (AoD) in a cohort of toddlers living in Chile. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 509 preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder [M = 40.2 months (SD = 8.6), girls: 32%] in the neurodevelopmental unit of a university clinic in Santiago, Chile (2015-2023). Structural changes in the annual trend of AoD were tested. Generalized linear models (gamma distribution) with and without interaction terms were used for the multivariate analysis, adjusting for gender, residential area, year of diagnosis, developmental variables (language regression, delayed walking, and use of expressive verbal language), and primary caregiver age and education level (CEL). 95% confidence intervals of the unstandardized regression coefficients (B) were calculated using 1000 bootstrap resampling to estimate associations. AoD increased between 2021-2022 and decreased in 2023. Female gender (B = 2.72 [1.21-4.23]), no history of language regression (B = 3.97 [1.66-6.28]), and the presence of expressive verbal language at diagnosis (B = 1.57 [0.05-3.08]) were associated with higher AoD. Children whose caregivers had tertiary education were diagnosed earlier than those with [less than or equal to] 12 years of formal education. Although the influence of CEL increased with caregiver age, differences between CEL groups were significant only for caregivers aged [greater than or equal to] 30 years. Improved education and early screening for clinical features of autism among healthcare professionals and the community, with a focus on young children without highly apparent developmental concerns and those from vulnerable social groups, are warranted.
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Clinical Diagnosis, Preschool Children, Foreign Countries, Toddlers, Age, Social Indicators, Epidemiology, Child Development, Gender Differences, Expressive Language, Child Caregivers
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link-springer-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Chile
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Section of Neurology, Division of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Santiago, Chile; 2UC CHRISTUS Clinical Hospital, Neurodevelopmental Unit, Santiago, Chile; 3Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Santiago, Chile

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