Racial Disparities in Autism Diagnosis, Assessment, and Intervention among Minoritized Youth: Sociocultural Issues, Factors, and Context.

Abstract

Despite the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among youth, disparities exist when it comes to access to diagnostic assessment and intervention of ASD in clinical and school settings. A review of the literature on sociocultural issues that contribute to these disparities would allow psychiatrists, clinicians, and researchers to better understand these challenges and aid in the development of culturally responsive approaches to support racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse families of youth with ASD. Disparities in ASD services are primarily due to system-level factors, including access to information or healthcare, stigma, and discrimination. Similarly, interactional factors, such as language/communication barriers, a lack of trust in professionals, and limited training in cultural responsiveness, can hinder support for diverse families of youth with ASD. This review focuses on several areas: (1) structural inequities that contribute to disparities in ASD services, (2) sociocultural issues in assessment and diagnosis, (3) sociocultural issues in interventions and service use, and (4) neurodiversity. This review underscores the importance of including diverse samples in ASD research to improve understanding of the strengths, challenges, perspectives, and preferences of underrepresented and underserved families of youth with ASD. These efforts can lead to culturally responsive service delivery.