CISLL Publications

Author ORCID Identifier

Allison Gladfelter: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2573-2035

Milijana Buac: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4087-8833

Waifong Catherine Cheung: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9286-9576

Ziteng Wang: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7763-8959

Sinan Onal: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0342-9251

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

Autism and motor abilities have been found to be closely related. Culture affects motor development as well as various diagnostic criteria for an autism diagnosis, yet cultural factors are rarely considered in research and in clinical diagnostics. This study explored the relationship between cultural factors, characteristics of autism, and balance abilities in autistic (n = 16) and non-autistic (n = 28) children by utilizing a demographic survey, the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd edition (SRS-2), and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) Balance subtest. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze whether the relationship between autism characteristics and balance abilities still stands when cultural factors are considered, and to determine which cultural factors moderate the relationship. Moderation analyses with Holm–Bonferroni correction tested whether cultural factors altered the strength of the SRS-2 and MABC-2 balance association. The results of this study were consistent with previous research in that there is still a strong relationship between autism and balance abilities even when cultural factors are considered. The results further indicated that, in addition to autistic characteristics, age, gender/sex, and ethnic origin were statistically significant contributors to the multiple linear regression model. No significant moderation effects were detected, indicating consistency of the autism–balance relationship across cultural groups examined. In conclusion, cultural factors must be considered in autism research, as well as in the development and implementation of diagnostic and treatment protocols for autistic children.

First Page

1742

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15121742

Publication Date

12-16-2025

Department

Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literature| School of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders

Special Interest Group

Diversity and Language Processing

Sponsorship

Illinois Innovation Network, the Northern Illinois University Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language and Literacy, the Northern Illinois University College of Health and Human Sciences and the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology

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