Determinants of Appointment Attendance at an Outpatient Pediatric Autism Clinic

While most research has investigated psychometric assessment and clinical intervention for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), little is known about the factors that influence attendance for the delivery of these protocols. To date, no study has examined outpatient appointment attendance rates, or the factors that influence such, in an outpatient setting serving children with ASD. The purpose of this study is to fill this gap by examining both rates and child, family, and clinic-related factors associated with this important outcome. Data used for this study constitute a retrospective, de-identified dataset obtained from the local scheduling information system of a multidisciplinary outpatient autism center that is part of a larger pediatric academic medical institution.