Parental experiences and perspectives of healthcare providers' genetic testing recommendations for their children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the United States

Although genetic testing is recommended for all children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States, it remains unclear how many parents have received and followed these recommendations. This study aimed to assess parental experiences and perspectives of healthcare providers' genetic testing recommendations. A total of 1043 parents of children with ASD from Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge completed an online survey. Only about one‐third of the parents (34.2%) reported that their children's providers had recommended genetic testing. Factors associated with whether parents received these recommendations included the type of healthcare providers diagnosing ASD, parents' knowledge of genetic testing, the age of their children's diagnosis, and the presence of certain co‐occurring medical conditions in their children. Our study also revealed that most parents (76.9%) who received recommendations had pursued genetic testing for their children. Adherence to the recommendations was associated with the characteristics of the parents (i.e., age and employment status) and children (i.e., gender), and their trust in the information from providers. The findings highlight the critical role of healthcare providers in facilitating genetic testing among families of children with ASD. Healthcare providers are recommended to increase their competencies and practice in providing genetic testing recommendations for ASD, assist parents in navigating testing challenges, and support parents through the testing process. Lay Summary This study examined what parents of autistic children think about doctors' recommendations for genetic testing. Among 1043 surveyed parents, only 34.2% said that their doctors recommended genetic testing, with factors such as the type of diagnosing doctors, timing of the diagnosis, parents' knowledge about genetic testing, and certain medical conditions in the autistic children influencing whether parents received the testing recommendations. Notably, 76.9% of parents who received testing recommendations had pursued genetic testing for their autistic children, emphasizing the need for doctors to enhance their genetic testing recommendation practices and support for parents.