Table 1.

Participant characteristics

	ASD (n = 42)		TD (n = 36)		p value
	Mean ± SD	Range	Mean ± SD	Range
Age (months)	31.9 ± 12.2	17–67	27.6 ± 13.8	15–64	0.18
% Femalea	25%		52%		0.01
% Hispanica	43%		18%		0.02
% Mothers with college educationa	47%		79%		0.001
Income-to-needs ratio	4.6 ± 2.6	0.2–9.4	4.5 ± 3.2	0.3–9.3	0.15
MSEL ELC	73.6 ± 18.0	49–107	105.4 ± 16.2	80–143	< 0.001
SCQ total	16.0 ± 7.5	3–35	4.5 ± 3.2	0–11	< 0.001
ADOS-2 total	15.9 ± 5.5	6–22	–	–	–

Income-to-Needs Ratio (INR) was derived by dividing the household income by the federal poverty threshold defined by family size; an INR of one indicates living at the federal poverty line, which according to the 2019 US government official poverty definition was $25,750/year for a family of four

MSEL Mullen Early Learning Scale ELC Early Learning Composite, Standard Score SCQ Social Communication Scale ADOS-2 Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition

^aValues denote counts and corresponding χ² p values. Remaining comparisons reflect two-sample t tests and corresponding p values