Research Symposium

BIO

Rachel Peters is a second-year Florida State student from West Palm Beach, Florida pursuing a degree in Psychology. As a UROP student, she assisted in coding parent-reported concerns for 16 different types of concerns and coding observation videos for 16 early signs of autism spectrum. Rachel hopes to continue getting involved in undergraduate research, and plans to obtain an education specialist degree through a school psychology program after graduation.

Examining Parent Concern after Autism Screening in Children under 24 Months

Abstract

Introduction: As the prevalence of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) continues to rise, primary care providers play a key role in early identification and intervention. Yet, the USPSTF does not recommend screening without parent-reported concerns. It is important to examine the types of parent concerns reported, as well as the differences between the number and types of concerns across children with different diagnostic outcomes, to determine the potential effectiveness of this approach.. Methods: This study examined a sample of 599 children who were screened for autism or communication delay. Parents completed the Early Screening for Autism and Communication disorders (ESAC) and reported any concerns about their child’s development, which were coded for 16 types of concerns. Results: Most parents of children that were concerned about the expressive communication and development of their child. Most of the parents of children who were diagnosed with Autism did not report a specific concern of Autism or concerns about the diagnostic features and the time of screening. This study has important implications regarding the early identification of autism.

Keywords: autism screening, communication delay, caregiver responses, children