Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Outcomes Among Transition-Age Autistic Youth.
Wei Song, Kiley J McLean, Jordan Gifford and 2 others
PMID 38771506WHAT IT FOUND
Transition-age autistic youth report far more adverse childhood experiences than non-autistic peers, especially bullying.
Higher ACE counts link to poor general health, anxiety, depression, and physical conditions. Screening for community-based adversity like bullying is essential to identify those at risk.
Key findings
01Bullying is the most common adverse experience in this group, affecting 66.5% of autistic youth compared to 28.5% of neurotypical peers.
02Autistic youth had significantly higher cumulative ACE scores than neurotypical youth (1.53 vs 0.90 on the expanded scale).
03Community-based ACEs, such as bullying and unsafe neighborhoods, were more strongly associated with poor general health and physical conditions than family-based ACEs.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot prove that ACEs caused the health outcomes, only that they are associated. Data relied on caregiver reports, which may understate traumatic events or lack knowledge of the child's full experience. The survey did not include child abuse or neglect, which are significant ACEs, potentially underestimating the total burden of adversity. The definition of 'neurotypical' excluded children with many common co-occurring conditions, which may not reflect a truly 'typical' comparison group.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. No other conflicts of interest were declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume these associations are causal. The study is cross-sectional, meaning it cannot prove that adverse childhood experiences directly caused the health outcomes, only that they occurred together in this sample.