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Examining Environmental Predictors of Community Participation for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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Abstract

A geographic information system (GIS) approach systematically assessed whether population density and distribution of community resources contributed to caregiver reported community participation outcomes for 124 adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Regression analyses examined whether GIS measures predicted community participation in areas of social activities and use of services, while also accounting for adult age, conversation ability, and daily living skills (DLS). Results indicated that in addition to person factors of greater DLS and better conversation ability, access to specific community features, such as bus stops, contributed to improved participation. Unexpectedly, population density where one lived made minimal contribution to participation outcomes, except in getting together with friends outside of organized activities.

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Acknowledgments

This study was made possible from funding in part by The Autism Science Foundation, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Junior Faculty Development Award and the University Research Council, and the Organization for Autism Research. Funding for the larger study was made possible by a grant from Autism Speaks and Foundation of Hope. The authors thank Emily Robinson for assistance with map building. These findings were presented at the International Meeting for Autism Research, May 2017.

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Author notes

  1. Kelsie A. Adkisson

    Present address: Easter Seals/UCP, Raleigh, NC, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, Department of Allied Health Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Campus Box 7250, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA

    Dara V. Chan & Kelsie A. Adkisson

  2. TEACCH Autism Program, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Mark R. Klinger & Laura G. Klinger

  3. Department of Psychiatry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Laura G. Klinger

Authors
  1. Dara V. Chan
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  2. Mark R. Klinger
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  4. Laura G. Klinger
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Contributions

DC, MK, and LK contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by KA. MK completed the data analysis and contributed to the manuscript writing. LK aided in interpreting the results, writing, and revising the manuscript. The first draft of the manuscript was written by DC. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dara V. Chan.

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Conflict of interest

Dara Chan has received research grants from The Autism Science Foundation, the Organization for Autism Research, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Junior Faculty Development Award and the University Research Council. Laura Klinger received research grants from Autism Speaks (#8316) and the Foundation of Hope.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University of North Carolina Institutional Review Board for both the larger longitudinal study (#12-1641) and current secondary analysis (#14-3093) and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Chan, D.V., Klinger, M.R., Adkisson, K.A. et al. Examining Environmental Predictors of Community Participation for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). J Autism Dev Disord 51, 2531–2537 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04660-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04660-8

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