McMorris, Carly A.Aitken, Amanda2019-10-252019-10-252019-10-21Aitken, A. (2019). Factors Contributing to Late Diagnosis in Females with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111165Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in communication and social relationships, and rigid and repetitive behaviours. The age at which an individual is diagnosed directly affects access to important resources, including early intervention, school program planning, and overall functioning for both the child and family. Children who receive an ASD diagnosis at an older age (i.e., 5 years of age or older) may miss out on early supports and funding. There are many factors that can impact the age at which a child receives an ASD diagnosis, including cognitive and adaptive functioning, severity of ASD symptoms, and the complexity of symptoms a child presents with. Children with higher cognitive and adaptive functioning, milder ASD symptoms, and fewer co-occurring mental health and developmental disorders often receive a diagnosis of ASD at an older age. However, existing literature on how these clinical factors impact diagnosis in females with ASD is mixed. As females typically receive a diagnosis of ASD at an older age compared to males, understanding what factors contribute to this delay that are unique to this population is essential to ensure early access to intervention. Thus, the purpose of this study was to replicate previous research showing that females receive a diagnosis at an older age than males, as well as clinical factors (e.g., cognitive functioning, ASD symptom severity, and adaptive functioning) that might impact late diagnosis, particularly in females. Psychological reports of 58 males and 32 females seen at the Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Clinic (Calgary, AB) for a comprehensive assessment were reviewed in order to obtain information regarding cognitive and adaptive functioning, ASD symptom severity, and co-occurring diagnoses. Inconsistent with previous research and our hypothesis, females did not receive a diagnosis of ASD at an older age (M = 10.7, SD = 48.74) than males (M = 9.6, SD = 32.22), nor did ASD symptom severity or adaptive functioning predict receiving a diagnosis later in life; however, cognitive functioning and number of co-occurring disorders did predict age at diagnosis. Biological sex did not influence any of these relationships.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Autism spectrum disorderFemalesLate diagnosisEducation--Early ChildhoodEducational PsychologyPsychology--Developmentalmaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/37215