Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
J Autism Dev Disord. 2023 Oct;53(10):3799-3812. doi: 10.1007/s10803-022-05673-1. Epub 2022 Jul 27.
Obtaining an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis is often challenging for parents. The purpose of this study was to better understand this process and examine how elements of the process may influence parent satisfaction. A total of 406 parents of autistic children participated. Participants were administered a survey covering the ASD diagnostic process. Parents had developmental concerns early but experienced long wait times and usually attended many appointments. Mean diagnostic age was 3.26 years and overall delay was 1.20 years. Stress and being told there was "no problem" were significantly associated with parental satisfaction with the process. Findings provide insight into challenges experienced by families of autistic children and can help pinpoint areas where the diagnostic process may be improved.
为孩子获得自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）的诊断对父母来说通常颇具挑战。本研究旨在深入了解这一过程，并探讨这一过程的各个环节如何影响家长的满意度。共有 406 名自闭症儿童的家长参与了此项研究。研究采用问卷调查法，覆盖 ASD 诊断过程的各个方面。家长们很早就对孩子的发育问题有所担忧，但却经历了漫长的等待时间，通常要参加多次预约。平均诊断年龄为 3.26 岁，整体延迟了 1.20 年。压力和被告知“没问题”与父母对诊断过程的满意度显著相关。研究结果深入了解了自闭症儿童家庭所面临的挑战，并有助于确定可以改进诊断过程的领域。
