Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Name

Institution Affiliation

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Quantitative Research

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized by a series of developmental disabilities, including repetitive and stereotyped behaviors and pervasive condition, impairing socialization and communication abilities (Boyd, Woodard & Bodfish, 2011). Developmental disabilities are highly linked to neurological sicknesses that affect most children (Taylor, DeQuinzio & Stine, 2012). Current studies on Autism Spectrum Disorder in both the United States and Canada have adopted a quantitative approach to statistically analyze the prevalence of this disorder, with little engagement of approaches that can help understand the narrative experiences of parents living with autism children (Barrie, 2010: Parritz & Troy, 2014). Therefore, this study will use an exploratory case study to show whether parental factors influence their pursuit for early ASD diagnosis for their children, with an aim of concluding that early diagnosis is important in maximizing positive outcomes for autism children.

According to DeQuinzio & Taylor (2015), a previous study rely on a numerical construct, and report that ASD diagnosis tends to reduce over time but is still rampant. It fails to engage a qualitative approach to gather information on parents living with ASD children. Whereas the study incorporate the variable of family level of income, a numerical construct, the current research will use the income status of the family to understand its relationship with outcome of early ASD diagnosis. Variables on parental factors will also help in understanding whether parental belief has some relationship with outcome of early diagnosis.

Therefore, the study seeks to address the following qualitative question: how do parental factors influence their pursuit for early ASD diagnosis for their children?

Specific Knowledge Gap that the Research Question Addresses

        Watt, Wetherby, Barber, & Morgan (2008) cite that previous studies concur that ASD is a challenge to parents living with autism child (children), with most of them accepting the need to seek professional help. For example, parents whose children are diagnosed of ASD only become aware and more concerned after the process. They are more concerned with the development of their autism children (Taylor & DeQuinzio, 2012). However, there is little information regarding factors that delay parents from seeking early diagnosis for their ASD children, a condition that deters their children’s development.  

        Data gathered on ASD intervention concentrate mainly on children and tends to take a lot of time, recording the initial ASD signs and the time begin raising concerns (Freeman & Kasari, 2013). The studies on ASD screening tend to run into many years, and that the current study intends to limit this kind of time lag by restricting the number of participants and only engaging autism children and parents within the reproductive age. Any parent who is aged 43 years old and above in Canada will be left out of the study. The researcher will narrow this large range to limit the challenge of time delays experienced in the previous studies.