About Us

Scope:

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a diagnosis that impacts 3% of children under the age of eight in the United States. The late diagnosis of this disorder can lead to impaired development of social and communication skills for children with ASD. While children with late diagnoses may demonstrate fewer problems in early childhood, compared to the early diagnoses counterparts, they were more likely to show greater emotional and behavioral problems and more social difficulties. On a long-term scale, children with diagnoses in earlier stages of life benefit heavily from having the necessary access to resources such as individualized learning plans, family interventions, specialized professionals, etc . 

Aside from largely focusing on interventions and services, this research has not fully explored the socioeconomic factors that may affect the timing of receiving a diagnosis. Team SEND will explore this issue within the state of Maryland, a socioeconomically diverse population, and consider the potential limitations and benefits of an American healthcare system on the diagnosis of ASD. Additionally, it is the team’s hope to add to the current literature by further exploring the mechanisms behind delayed diagnosis and identifying the impact of socioeconomic status on the diagnostic process.

Overall Plan: 

Within the course of the next three years, Team SEND will make various project revisions and continue to conduct a literature review. We will then split into subgroups to collect survey and interview data. Next, Team SEND will analyze any trends observed relating to socioeconomic status and delayed diagnosis. Finally, we will defend our finalized thesis and present our findings during senior year.