Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Gladfelter, Allison

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders

Abstract

Autism and motor abilities have been found to be closely related. Culture affects motor development as well as the various diagnostic criteria for an autism diagnosis, yet it is rarely considered in research and in diagnostics. This study aimed to explore the relationship between cultural factors, the social characteristics of autism, and motor abilities in autistic and non-autistic children by utilizing a demographic survey, the SRS-2, and the MABC-2 Balance subtest. The information and scores were analyzed to determine if the relationship between autism characteristics still stands when cultural factors are considered, and to determine which cultural factors mediate the relationship. The results of this study were consistent with previous research in that there is still a strong relationship between autism and motor abilities even when cultural factors are considered. It was also found that in addition to autistic characteristics, gender, SES, and ethnic origin were statistically significant contributors to the multiple linear regression model.

Extent

60 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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