Associations Among Demographic and Clinical Characteristics and Discrimination Experiences of Autistic Youth

Autistic individuals experience discrimination as a neurominority. Nonetheless, there has been limited research on characteristics or factors contributing to discrimination against autistic people. Therefore, this study sought to examine demographic and clinical predictors of discriminatory experiences of autistic children and adolescents utilizing a large, population-based sample.

Data were obtained from the 2021 and 2022 National Survey of Children's Health, a nationally distributed caregiver-report questionnaire. Participants included 2,297 autistic youth (6-17 years old). Two separate binary logistic regressions were conducted for the prediction of race or ethnicity discrimination and health condition or disability discrimination. Predictors were child age, sex, race, ethnicity, autism "severity," behavior problems, and intellectual disability, and household income.

Results demonstrated a relationship between minoritized racial and ethnic background and increased likelihood of discrimination due to race/ethnicity and health condition/disability. Relationships between older age and greater odds of race/ethnicity and health condition/disability discrimination experiences were also found. Furthermore, "more severe" autism, intellectual disability, and challenging behavior were associated with increased odds of health condition/disability discrimination.

This study highlights characteristics of autistic youth that may increase their risk for experiencing discrimination and should inform practices and policies to reduce discrimination against autistic people.