Racial and Ethnic Differences in Autism Service Utilization: The Role of Parental Stigma

This study examined whether autism-related stigma experienced by parents from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds contributes to documented disparities in service utilization among autistic children. Analysis of 764 US parents revealed that while some racial/ethnic differences in stigma and service engagement exist, socioeconomic factors appear more influential than stigma alone in explaining service utilization gaps, with notable variation by racial/ethnic group.