Definition
The majority of research articles focused on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) do not provide sufficient data on race and ethnicity (Pierce et al. 2014); thus, the level of participation of racial and ethnic minorities in ASD research is largely unknown. While approximately 13% of the US population identifies as Black (US Census Bureau 2018), Black children and their families are underrepresented in ASD research (Burkett et al. 2015; Hilton et al. 2010; West et al. 2016). Yet, racial disparities concerning timely ASD diagnoses and healthcare access are well-documented (e.g., see Thomas et al. 2007); and service delays persist for Black children regardless of family socioeconomic status (Magaña et al. 2012; Mandell et al. 2010). In this entry the term “Black” refers to people of the African diaspora, including those of African American descent, African-Caribbean descent, African-Latinx descent, and those from the African continent.
Historical Background
While research on Black...
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References and Reading
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Shaia, W.E., Dababnah, S. (2020). Participation of Black and African-American Families in Autism Research. In: Volkmar, F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6435-8_102490-1
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