Exploring Racial Disparities in Autism Over the Last Twenty Years: A Brief Report

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: Research on the Education of Students With Disabilities: Racial Disparities, Student Persistence, Teacher Experiences, and Parent Interventions (Table 1)

Abstract

This study examines racial and ethnic disparities in autism prevalence using data from three National Longitudinal Transition Studies spanning two decades. The results reveal that students diagnosed with autism are often classified under various other special education categories. There are significant racial and ethnic disparities observed in these autism categorizations, with variations in autism prevalence across different racial and ethnic groups. These disparities notably intersect with other special education categories including other health impairments (OHI), intellectual disabilities (ID), speech and language impairment (SLI), and emotional disturbance (ED). The study suggests that racial disproportionality in the special education autism category could stem from the mechanisms of special education disability designation, which may lead to an inaccurate representation of true autism prevalence.

Author

• Jessica Marie Reinartz, Binghamton University - SUNY