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The Influence of Social and Developmental Factors on the Timing of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis of Preschool-Aged Children: Evidence from a Specialized Chilean Center.

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Title: The Influence of Social and Developmental Factors on the Timing of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis of Preschool-Aged Children: Evidence from a Specialized Chilean Center.
Authors: Lopez-Espejo, Mauricio A., Nuñez, Alicia C., Saez, Valentina, Ruz, Melanie, Moscoso, Odalie C., Vives, Alejandra
Source: Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders. Aug2025, Vol. 55 Issue 8, p2797-2806. 10p.
Subjects: Diagnosis of autism, Cross-sectional method, Academic medical centers, Speech, Autism, Social factors, Sex distribution, Residential patterns, Age distribution, Multivariate analysis, Descriptive statistics, Caregivers, Child development, Mathematical models, Asperger's syndrome, Theory, Confidence intervals, Early diagnosis, Data analysis software, Educational attainment, Language acquisition, Children
Geographic Terms: Chile
Abstract: We investigated the influence of developmental and social factors on the age of autism diagnosis (AoD) in a cohort of toddlers living in Chile. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 509 preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder [M = 40.2 months (SD = 8.6), girls: 32%] in the neurodevelopmental unit of a university clinic in Santiago, Chile (2015–2023). Structural changes in the annual trend of AoD were tested. Generalized linear models (gamma distribution) with and without interaction terms were used for the multivariate analysis, adjusting for gender, residential area, year of diagnosis, developmental variables (language regression, delayed walking, and use of expressive verbal language), and primary caregiver age and education level (CEL). 95% confidence intervals of the unstandardized regression coefficients (B) were calculated using 1000 bootstrap resampling to estimate associations. AoD increased between 2021–2022 and decreased in 2023. Female gender (B = 2.72 [1.21–4.23]), no history of language regression (B = 3.97 [1.66–6.28]), and the presence of expressive verbal language at diagnosis (B = 1.57 [0.05–3.08]) were associated with higher AoD. Children whose caregivers had tertiary education were diagnosed earlier than those with ≤ 12 years of formal education. Although the influence of CEL increased with caregiver age, differences between CEL groups were significant only for caregivers aged ≥ 30 years. Improved education and early screening for clinical features of autism among healthcare professionals and the community, with a focus on young children without highly apparent developmental concerns and those from vulnerable social groups, are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: The Influence of Social and Developmental Factors on the Timing of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis of Preschool-Aged Children: Evidence from a Specialized Chilean Center.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Autism+%26+Developmental+Disorders%22">Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders</searchLink>. Aug2025, Vol. 55 Issue 8, p2797-2806. 10p.
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  Data: We investigated the influence of developmental and social factors on the age of autism diagnosis (AoD) in a cohort of toddlers living in Chile. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 509 preschool children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder [M = 40.2 months (SD = 8.6), girls: 32%] in the neurodevelopmental unit of a university clinic in Santiago, Chile (2015–2023). Structural changes in the annual trend of AoD were tested. Generalized linear models (gamma distribution) with and without interaction terms were used for the multivariate analysis, adjusting for gender, residential area, year of diagnosis, developmental variables (language regression, delayed walking, and use of expressive verbal language), and primary caregiver age and education level (CEL). 95% confidence intervals of the unstandardized regression coefficients (B) were calculated using 1000 bootstrap resampling to estimate associations. AoD increased between 2021–2022 and decreased in 2023. Female gender (B = 2.72 [1.21–4.23]), no history of language regression (B = 3.97 [1.66–6.28]), and the presence of expressive verbal language at diagnosis (B = 1.57 [0.05–3.08]) were associated with higher AoD. Children whose caregivers had tertiary education were diagnosed earlier than those with ≤ 12 years of formal education. Although the influence of CEL increased with caregiver age, differences between CEL groups were significant only for caregivers aged ≥ 30 years. Improved education and early screening for clinical features of autism among healthcare professionals and the community, with a focus on young children without highly apparent developmental concerns and those from vulnerable social groups, are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1007/s10803-024-06376-5
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        Text: English
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