Improving Accuracy of Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Outcomes for Black Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Introduction

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is currently understood as a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and interactions, in addition to the presence of restrictive and repetitive behaviors and interests (Issarras et al., 2019). The diagnosis of ASD has increased by 175% since epidemiological surveillance of the disorder began in 1998 (Tincani et al., 2019; Maener et al., 2020). Recent research has reported that the prevalence of ASD amongst children aged eight years of age and four years of age is 1.7% and 1.85% respectively (Bougeard et al., 2021). When analyzing data with respect to individual racial and ethnic backgrounds, research has determined the prevalence of ASD to be equivalent across racial and ethnic groups, with the exception of Hispanic/Latinx children who consistently report decreased prevalence as compared to white, Black, and Asian/Pacific Islander children (Shaw et al., 2020).

There persists a wide disparity in the time to [accurate] diagnosis for Black autistic children, as compared to their white peers, despite research supporting that the prevalence of ASD amongst children of diverse backgrounds has consistently been determined to be equivalent (Durkin et al., 2017). In clinical practice, ASD can be diagnosed as early as two years of age, however Black children receive their ASD diagnosis significantly later than their peers. Research has shown that the age at which minority, more specifically Black children, receive their diagnosis is on average one and a half to two years later as compared to white children (Burkett et al., 2017). There are many reasons to explain and future outcome implications to consider when attempting to understand the barriers that Black autistic children face in receiving an accurate diagnosis.