Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Autism Providers’ ACEs Inquiries

Walker, K., Gates, J. A., Boateng, S., Gerber, A. H., Gurba, A., Moskowitz, L., Lerner, M. D., & the UCAS Consortium (2025). Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Autism Providers’ ACEs Inquiries. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06948-z

Publication date: 8 Jul 2025 Added to AutiHub: 5 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English

This publication is integrated into AutiHub through:

Authors

Publication authors
8
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 8 (12.5%)

Abstract

Autistic individuals experience Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), including neglect, abuse, and financial stress, at above-average rates. However, little is known regarding the factors influencing whether autism community-based providers conduct ACEs inquiries in their practice. Racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic status (SES) group disparities persist in healthcare and may exist in providers' ACEs inquiries. Whether autism community-based providers inquire about ACEs differently between racial, ethnic, and SES groups has not been studied. Understanding potential variations in inquiry rates is crucial, as inquiring can lead to the identification of ACEs and service provision. To investigate whether community providers' ACEs inquiries differ, we surveyed providers (N = 567) serving autistic individuals ages 7-22 years. Logistic regression using generalized estimating equations estimated the association between racial, ethnic, and SES groups providers reported serving and frequency of ACEs inquiries. Considering overall inquiries (i.e., if providers ever inquired) obscured significant specific inquiry discrepancies (i.e., variation in eight ACEs inquiries by groups served). Specific inquiries models revealed that providers serving Black, Native American, high, and low SES individuals reported higher odds of inquiring about various ACEs. In contrast, providers serving Asian individuals reported inquiring less about particular ACEs. The specific characteristics of the population served by providers may influence their ACEs inquiries. Further investigations are needed to reveal factors underlying gaps in ACEs inquiries across groups and narrow such disparities.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:30.

Cited references
65
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
4 / 65 (6.2%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
13 / 304 (4.3%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 13 / 54 (24.1%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 12 / 275 (4.4%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
54 / 304 (17.8%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 40 / 275 (14.5%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
41 / 54 (75.9%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 41 / 304 (13.5%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 28 / 40 (70.0%).
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