Priority service needs and receipt across the lifespan for individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
Jonathan K Y Lai, Jonathan A Weiss
PMID 28383156WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers reported that people with autism across Canada rarely received services matching their top needs, and priority services were received less often after early childhood.
Key findings
01Social skills programs were a high priority service need across all age groups, endorsed by 61.4% of caregivers overall.
02Only 8% of individuals received at least four of their top five priority services, and 30.6% received none.
03Preschool children received more priority services than the elementary, adolescent, emerging adult and adult groups.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
Caregivers reported diagnosis and services without clinical validation, so the results depend on parents' knowledge and recollection. The survey used convenience sampling, mainly online, and had low penetration into rural and ethnic minority communities; the sample was 83.8% White/Caucasian and mostly suburban or urban. The design was cross-sectional, so it cannot show how needs or receipt change over time for the same people. The survey reached few older adults, so adult needs after the sampled ages are not well represented. ASD severity was not measured, so the study cannot relate symptom severity to priority needs or receipt. It reports caregiver-reported service needs and receipt, not clinical outcomes or tested treatment effects.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read lower priority receipt in older groups as evidence that older people need less support. The survey reports what caregivers prioritised and received, not treatment effects, and access barriers, funding and eligibility may explain receipt.