Improving Diagnostic Outcomes for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders Within the Hispanic Community in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Despite the importance of early identification and intervention of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Hispanic children are significantly under-diagnosed with ASD in comparison to non-Hispanic, white children due to barriers to ASD identification in this population. The purpose of this research is to determine the levels of ASD knowledge in the Hispanic community in Bowling Green, the barriers that may contribute to why ASD is underdiagnosed in Hispanic children, and how to mitigate these barriers. This research analyzes the results of a survey, called the “Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale- General Population Version”, administered to 51 participants from the Hispanic population of Bowling Green, Kentucky. This project also resulted in the creation of resources in both English and Spanish regarding ASD signs and symptoms, developmental milestones, and next steps that aimed to increase ASD awareness, dispel misconceptions, and alleviate some of the barriers to ASD identification in this population. The survey responses indicated that there are disparities in ASD knowledge between non-Hispanic, white individuals and Hispanic individuals. The survey responses also revealed several barriers to obtaining an ASD diagnosis in Bowling Green. These results should serve to emphasize the great need that exists in Bowling Green for medical, therapeutic, and educational service providers who are able to diagnose and treat Hispanic and Spanish-speaking individuals with ASD