Sociodemographic Differences Impact the Perceived Importance of Social Communication and Interaction Behaviors.
Camille J Wynn, Maryellen Brunson McClain, Tyus T Roanhorse and 4 others
PMID 39786534WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers' ratings of how important social behaviors are to them vary by race, income, and child status, especially for advanced skills like gestures.
Low caregiver concern about these skills does not mean the child lacks them. It may mean the family does not value them.
Key findings
01Asian caregivers rated advanced social behaviors as significantly more important than Latinx, Black, and White caregivers, who all rated foundational behaviors as more important than advanced ones.
02Caregivers of children with an identified disability rated advanced social behaviors as more important than caregivers of children without a disability.
03Higher household income and older child age were associated with higher ratings of importance for social communication behaviors.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have skewed caregiver perceptions of social interaction importance due to isolation. The sample was limited to four racial/ethnic groups (Asian, Black, Latinx, White) and did not explore intersections of these identities or other groups. The study relies on self-report from an online convenience sample, which may not represent all caregivers. The measure (SCIPS) only assesses behaviors commonly included in autism evaluations, potentially missing social behaviors that are highly valued in other cultures but not on standard tests.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret a caregiver's low rating of importance for advanced social behaviors as evidence that the child lacks those skills. The study shows that importance ratings vary by culture and socioeconomic status, so a lack of perceived importance does not equal a lack of ability.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →