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. 2021 Mar 29;175(6):e210054. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0054

Table 3. Mediation Effects of FSM and Language Spoken at Home on Race/Ethnicity and ASD Status.

Characteristic Standardized coefficients Mediation proportion, % SE Estimate/SE P value for bootstrap
Language spoken at home by race/ethnicity
White 1 [Reference] NA NA NA NA
Asian 0.525 NA 0 1544.40 <.001
Black 0.246 NA 0 648.98 <.001
Chinese 0.114 NA 0 274.83 <.001
Roma/Irish Traveler −0.004 NA 0 −112.54 <.001
Mixed 0.095 NA 0 209.38 <.001
Other 0.249 NA 0 595.12 <.001
Unclassified 0.053 NA 0 118.96 <.001
FSM by race/ethnicity
White 1 [Reference] NA NA NA NA
Asian 0.012 NA 0.001 22.89 <.001
Black 0.145 NA 0 301.27 <.001
Chinese −0.024 NA 0.001 −40.22 <.001
Roma/Irish Traveler 0.007 NA 0 182.97 <.001
Mixed 0.083 NA 0 169.01 <.001
Other 0.053 NA 0 108.71 <.001
Unclassified 0.019 NA 0.001 37.44 <.001
ASD status
Language spoken at home −0.130 NA 0.003 −46.40 <.001
FSM 0.124 NA 0.002 77.98 <.001
Race/ethnicity
White 1 [Reference] NA NA NA NA
Asian 0.010 NA 0.002 5.01 <.001
Black 0.032 NA 0.001 24.40 <.001
Chinese 0.014 NA 0.001 11.29 <.001
Roma/Irish Traveler 0.011 NA 0 123.50 <.001
Mixed 0.007 NA 0.001 5.68 <.001
Other 0.009 NA 0.001 6.36 <.001
Unclassified 0.009 NA 0.001 7.78 <.001
Indirect effects from any other racial/ethnic group to ASD status
Any other racial/ethnic group > FSM > ASD 0.007 13.21 0 63.34 <.001
Any other racial/ethnic group > language spoken at home > ASD −0.032 i 0.001 −46.25 <.001
Indirect effects from Asian to ASD status
Asian > FSM > ASD 0.001 8.33 0 21.97 <.001
Asian > language spoken at home > ASD −0.068 i 0.001 −46.37 <.001
Indirect effects from Black to ASD status
Black > FSM > ASD 0.018 12.41 0 75.43 <.001
Black > language spoken at home > ASD −0.032 i 0.001 −46.27 <.001
Indirect effects from Chinese to ASD status
Chinese > FSM > ASD −0.003 12.50 0 −35.73 <.001
Chinese > language spoken at home > ASD −0.015 i 0 −45.74 <.001
Indirect effects from mixed race/ethnicity to ASD status
Mixed race/ethnicity > FSM > ASD 0.010 12.05 0 7.75 <.001
Mixed race/ethnicity > language spoken at home > ASD −0.012 i 0 −45.27 <.001
Indirect effects from unclassified race/ethnicity to ASD status
Unclassified race/ethnicity > FSM > ASD 0.002 10.53 0 33.74 <.001
Unclassified race/ethnicity > language spoken at home > ASD −0.007 i 0 −43.21 <.001
Indirect effects from Roma/Irish Traveler to ASD status
Roma/Irish Traveler > FSM > ASD 0.001 14.29 0 71.62 <.001
Roma/Irish Traveler > language spoken at home > ASD 0.001 i 0 42.89 <.001

Abbreviations: ASD, autism spectrum disorder; FSM, Free School Meals program; i, inconsistent mediation; NA, not applicable.