Background
Materials and methods
Materials
Methods
Overall outcome | Definition | N | % | Male (%) | Female (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Very poor | Severe deficits—totally unable to lead an independent existence | 12 | 22.6 | 25.0 | 11 |
Poor | Marked deficits—requiring high levels of support and supervision | 13 | 24.5 | 18.2 | 55.6 |
Fair | Some degree of independence but requiring support and supervision | 6 | 11.3 | 11.4 | 11.1 |
Good | Capable of independent functioning but requiring some degree of support | 10 | 18.9 | 22.7 | 0.0 |
Very good | High level of independence | 12 | 22.6 | 22.7 | 22.2 |
Statistical analysis
Outcome | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Very poor | Poor | Fair | Good | Very good | p | ||||||
N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | ||
Age stage | |||||||||||
Adolescents | 0 | 0.0 | 9 | 40.9 | 3 | 13.6 | 4 | 18.2 | 6 | 27.3 | 0.010 |
Adults | 12 | 38.7 | 4 | 12.9 | 3 | 9.7 | 6 | 19.4 | 6 | 19.4 | |
Sex | |||||||||||
Male | 11 | 25.0 | 8 | 18.2 | 5 | 11.4 | 10 | 22.7 | 10 | 22.7 | 0.139 |
Female | 1 | 11.1 | 5 | 55.6 | 1 | 11.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 22.2 | |
Age of acquisition of language | |||||||||||
Never | 3 | 50.0 | 2 | 33.3 | 1 | 16.7 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.030 |
< 5 years | 6 | 14.3 | 9 | 21.4 | 5 | 11.9 | 10 | 23.8 | 12 | 28.6 | |
> 5 years | 3 | 100.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | |
Age of acquisition of bowel and bladder control (years) | |||||||||||
< 3 | 4 | 18.2 | 5 | 22.7 | 1 | 4.5 | 4 | 18.2 | 8 | 36.4 | 0.373 |
> 3 | 8 | 28.6 | 7 | 25.0 | 4 | 14.3 | 5 | 17.9 | 4 | 14.3 |
Μ | SD | Μ | SD | Μ | SD | Μ | SD | Μ | SD | p | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age of acquisition of walking | 14.8 | 7.1 | 14.0 | 3.6 | 13.8 | 3.5 | 13.9 | 2.9 | 12.8 | 1.4 | 0.822 |
Severity at initial assessment | |||||||||||
Support required | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 4.5% | 9 | 40.9% | 12 | 54.5% | < 0.001 |
Significant support required | 1 | 9.1% | 4 | 36.4% | 5 | 45.5% | 1 | 9.1% | 0 | 0.0% | |
Very significant support required | 11 | 55.0% | 9 | 45.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
Comorbidity at initial assessment | |||||||||||
No | 6 | 15.4% | 7 | 17.9% | 4 | 10.3% | 10 | 25.6% | 12 | 30.8% | 0.007 |
Yes | 6 | 42.9% | 6 | 42.9% | 2 | 14.3% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
Comorbidity today | |||||||||||
No | 4 | 14.8% | 4 | 14.8% | 1 | 3.7% | 7 | 25.9% | 11 | 40.7% | 0.003 |
Yes | 8 | 30.8% | 9 | 34.6% | 5 | 19.2% | 3 | 11.5% | 1 | 3.8% |
Results
A. Socio-demographic characteristics of participants—parents
Family structure | N | % |
---|---|---|
Married | 39 | 73.6 |
Divorced | 11 | 20.8 |
Widowed | 3 | 5.7 |
Other children | ||
No | 9 | 17.0 |
Yes | 44 | 83.0 |
Parent’s educational level | N | % |
---|---|---|
Mother’s educational level | ||
University | 17 | 32.1 |
Technical training | 11 | 20.8 |
Secondary education | 25 | 47.2 |
Father’s educational level | ||
Tertiary education | 15 | 28.3 |
Technical training | 5 | 9.4 |
High school | 33 | 62.3 |
Employment status | N | % |
---|---|---|
Mother’s employment status | ||
Retired | 4 | 7.5 |
Unemployed | 14 | 26.4 |
Agricultural worker | 2 | 3.8 |
Private employee | 8 | 15.1 |
Liberal professions/freelance | 10 | 18.9 |
Salaried | 15 | 28.3 |
Father’s employment status | ||
Retired | 9 | 17.0 |
Agricultural worker | 5 | 9.4 |
Private employee | 14 | 26.4 |
Freelance | 17 | 32.1 |
Salaried | 8 | 15.1 |
B. Characteristics of the adolescents and the adults with autism spectrum disorders
Sex | N | % |
---|---|---|
Male | 44 | 83.0 |
Female | 9 | 17.0 |
Age | ||
Age (mean ± SD) | 19.415 ± 6.335 | |
Adolescents (11–18 years) | 22 | 41.5 |
Adults (18+) | 31 | 58.5 |