Characterizing the Educational Goals of Autistic Students: Latent Class Analysis With Demographic and Developmental Covariates

• In Event: Addressing Needs, Disparities, and Inclusive Strategies for Students With Autism or Emotional and Behavioral Disabilities

Abstract

The current study characterizes the special education goals (reading, writing, math, language, social skills, behavior) of autistic children and examines if demographic and developmental covariates predict membership to identified latent subgroups. The study uses data from 554 families with an autistic child from across the United States. Based on statistical and conceptual fit, we identified five classes: All Goals (41%); Autistic Characteristics (21%); Language, Literacy, and Autistic Characteristics (19%); Academic (14%); and Language and Writing (5%). All other classes were more likely to be in a general education context for 50% of the time or more compared to All Goals. Both All Goals and Autistic Characteristics were more likely to have a co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis relative to Academic.

Authors

• Matthew C. Zajic, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Juliette Gudknecht, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Nancy McIntyre, University of Central Florida