Table 1.

Reasons for pursuing ASD genetic testing among parents of children with ASD.

Reasons	Illustrative Quotation
Identifying the etiology of ASD (41.4%)	“I think this is the only reason. What is the exact cause of my son’s ASD? Because I don’t think I have encountered anything special during my pregnancy.” (Participant #26, female; income: between 600 K and 1 M NTD (~20–33 K USD); high school or less)
Informed family planning (37.9%)	“It is better to know if it’s the mother’s or father’s problem that causes our child’s ASD … there is absolutely no way for me to have another child with ASD…I don’t have enough time and money.” (Participant #8, male; income: less than 600 K NTD (<20 K USD); college and above degree)
Supporting ASD research (24.1%)	“If we can find a cure for ASD through genetic testing, it will benefit the future of other children with ASD.” (Participant #9, male; income: more than 1 M NTD (>33 K USD); college and above degree)
Early intervention and treatment for children with ASD (10.3%)	“After undergoing genetic testing… If children with ASD can receive early intervention and treatment, they can actually learn some skills…If you find out too late, it can probably lead to some serious problems.” (Participant #31, female; income: between 600 K and 1 M NTD (20–33 K USD); college and above degree)
Early detection of children with ASD (6.9%)	“It’s good to let the child undergo genetic testing after birth because autism can be detected early and reduce lots of time to diagnosis ASD.” (Participant #38, female; income: more than 1 M NTD (>33 K USD); high school or less)

ASD, autism spectrum disorder. Note: the sum of the themes is greater than 100% as some participants reported more than one reason to support ASD genetic testing.