The increase in ASD prevalence in the last 30 years may be explained by all of the following EXCEPT ______.
A) greater awareness of ASD has led more youths with symptoms to be referred for diagnosis and treatment
B) ASD is more prevalent in males and in the last 30 years there have been substantially more male than female babies born
C) clinicians may be more willing to assign an ASD diagnosis, as it grants access to services
D) the criteria for ASD are broader now than in the past, and clinicians may be willing to assign the diagnosis even to those who don't fully meet the criteria

Question

The increase in ASD prevalence in the last 30 years may be explained by all of the following EXCEPT ______.
A) greater awareness of ASD has led more youths with symptoms to be referred for diagnosis and treatment
B) ASD is more prevalent in males and in the last 30 years there have been substantially more male than female babies born
C) clinicians may be more willing to assign an ASD diagnosis, as it grants access to services
D) the criteria for ASD are broader now than in the past, and clinicians may be willing to assign the diagnosis even to those who don't fully meet the criteria

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement in option B is false. In fact, there has been a slight decrease in the male-to-female ratio of births over the past 30 years, so this cannot explain the increase in ASD prevalence. Options A, C, and D are all potential factors that could contribute to the increase in ASD prevalence.

The Increase in ASD Prevalence in the Last 30 Years