Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37612588›Full record

ArticleBMC pediatrics2023

Sociocultural factors associated with detection of autism among culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia.

Aniqa Hussain, James Rufus John, Cheryl Dissanayake, Grace Frost, Sonya Girdler, Lisa Karlov, Anne Masi, Tasha Alach, Valsamma Eapen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC pediatrics, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Exploring Factors of Diagnostic Timing Among Black Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025
    Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Aniqa HussainDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
James Rufus JohnDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Cheryl DissanayakeSchool of Psychology and Public Health, Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Grace FrostAutism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre, Prospect, South Australia, Australia.
Sonya GirdlerSchool of Allied Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Lisa KarlovDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Anne MasiDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Tasha AlachDirector of Therapy and Clinical Services, Autism Association of Western Australia Inc, Subiaco, WA, Australia.
Valsamma EapenDiscipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. v.eapen@unsw.edu.au.
UNSW Sydney · AUAutism CRC · AULa Trobe University · AUSouth Western Sydney Local Health District · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe age at which parents or caregivers first develop concerns about their child's development has significant implications on formal diagnosis and intervention. This study aims to determine the sociocultural factors that are associated with the age and type of first concern reported by parents of autistic children among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia. We also assessed whether sociocultural factors predict autism traits measured in terms of social affect (SA), restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB), and calibrated severity scores (CSS).

methodsThis study is a secondary data analysis of the data collected from six Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centres (ASELCCs) as part of the Autism Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) program between 2015 and 2019. Data analysed in this study included a family history questionnaire with sociodemographic and sociocultural information, parent-reported age and type of first concern, and clinician/researcher administered Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition (ADOS-2) which includes standardised domain-wise scores of social affect (SA) and restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) as well as calibrated severity scores (CSS), a measure of severity of autism. Primary analysis included multivariable linear regression models to examine the predictive influence of sociodemographic and sociocultural factors on the dependant variables of age of concern (AOC) and the autism traits (SA, RRB, and CSS).

resultsThe mean AOC in the sample was 18.18 months and the most common concerns were speech/language delay, limited social interaction, and hyperactivity/behavioural changes. The multivariable linear regression models showed factors such as increase in age of child, those from a CALD background, annual family income, sibling's autism diagnosis, and developmental concerns to be significantly associated with parental AOC. Additionally, we also found that increase in child's age and CALD status to be significant predictors of autism trait (RRB) and severity measured in terms of the CSS score. Further, females (compared to males) were associated with higher difficulties with social communication and interaction skills.

conclusionUnderstanding key factors that contribute to early identification of autism can help tailor awareness programs for parents and caregivers, whilst also informing the development of services focused on serving all CALD communities.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderAutistic DisorderLanguage Development DisordersAustraliaChildCommunicationFemaleHumansIncomeMaleAge of first concernAutism spectrum disorderCALD communitiesSociocultural risk factors

Identifiers

PMID37612588
PMCPMC10463473
OpenAlexW4386093818

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.