Do Early Caregiver Concerns Differ for Girls with Autism Spectrum Disorders?

SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://sagepub.com

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Autism; Pervasive Developmental Disorders; Caregiver Attitudes; Caregiver Child Relationship; Gender Differences; Developmental Disabilities; Comparative Analysis; Regression (Statistics); Scores; Social Behavior; Clinical Diagnosis; Matched Groups; Child Development; Infants; Children; Intelligence Tests; Cognitive Development; Young Children; Statistical Analysis; Observation; Diagnostic Tests; Rating Scales

Bayley Scales of Infant Development; Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children; Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence; Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test; Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule; Childhood Autism Rating Scale

10.1177/1362361316664188

1362-3613

Given that early caregiver concerns may be different for children who go on to receive a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder versus another developmental disability, early caregiver concerns may differ for girls. Using a community-based sample of children (n = 241), we examined the extent to which gender differences may be related to caregiver concerns prior to a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or other developmental disability. Participants were matched on chronological age, and cognitive functioning did not differ across groups. Using caregiver concern data, results showed that boys with autism spectrum disorder showed increased social interaction concerns; overall, autism spectrum disorder-related concerns did not differentiate those with autism spectrum disorder from developmental disability. Children with developmental disability, however, showed increased general developmental concerns as compared to those with autism spectrum disorder. Young girls with autism spectrum disorder may demonstrate behaviors that are not particularly salient or concerning for parents; future research may investigate the behaviors that differentiate girls with autism spectrum disorder early in development.

As Provided

18

2017

EJ1149782