Parental Perspectives on Early Life Screening and Genetic Testing for ASD: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition for which no prenatal or early life screening tests exist. Early life recognition of ASD is key to accessing behavioral intervention when brain plasticity is at its peak. The purpose of our study was to systematically review the literature researching parental perspectives around early life screening for autism and specifically genetic testing. A total of 30 studies were included and coded against the following variables: parental characteristics, child characteristics, research design, data collection and data analysis methods, type of early screening, and parental perspectives towards early life screening and genetic testing. The outcomes of the review showed that caregivers need more knowledge about ASD genetic testing, they are in general in favor of early life screening, and they prefer to access ASD genetic testing and early behavioral intervention as early as possible. As emerging genetic tests are likely to increase diagnostic accuracy for ASD in the near future, it is of paramount importance for research and practice to embrace parental needs and preferences. Healthcare providers can be pivotal in empowering parents to make informed decisions through clear, compassionate communication and counseling. Future research should seek to fill in an essential gap in the literature, which is to capture parental views from a diverse population.