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Table 1 Demographic characteristics of autistic mothers and non-autistic mothers

From: A comparative study of autistic and non-autistic women’s experience of motherhood

 

Autistic

Non-autistic

p value

Age (years)

42.7 ± 8.4

44.6 ± 9.1

0.041

Sex (%)

 Female

352 (99%)

132 (100%)

0.947

 Male

2 (<1%)

-

Gender (%)

 Female

339 (95%)

129 (98%)

0.018

 Male

2 (<1%)

3 (2%)

 Other

14 (4%)

-

Education

 Some secondary/high school

20(6%)

9 (7%)

0.011

 Completed secondary/high school

55 (15%)

25 (19%)

 Completed some of an undergraduate degree

71 (20%)

10 (8%)

 Completed an undergraduate degree

102 (28%)

35 (26%)

 Completed a postgraduate/graduate degree

107 (30%)

53 (40%)

Marital status

 Single

36 (10%)

12 (9%)

0.033

 Married

202 (57%)

88 (67%)

 Civil partnership

9 (2.5%)

1 (<1%)

 Divorced

44 (12%)

3 (2%)

 Widowed

4 (1%)

2 (1.5%)

 Separated

28 (8%)

9 (7%)

 Long-term partner

29 (8%)

16 (12%)

 Other

3 (<1%)

1 (<1%)

Living with current partner (if applicable)

 Yes

240 (99%)

103 (98%)

1

 No

3 (1%)

2 (2%)

Does partner have autism? (if applicable)

 Diagnosed

16 (6%)

2 (2%)

0.089

 Suspected

75 (31%)

27 (26%)

 No

152 (63%)

76 (72%)

Single parenthood

 Currently a single parent

98 (28%)

23 (17%)

0.003

 Have been a single parent in the past

79 (22%)

20 (15%)

 Never have been a single parent

178 (50%)

89 (67%)

Age at first birth (years)

27.7 ± 6.0

29.5 ± 6.0

0.002

Number of children (median)

2.4

2.4

0.701

Age of first child (years)

15.2 ± 8.5

15.3 ± 8.9

0.891

Average age of all children (years)

12.9 ± 8.0

12.9 ± 7.5

0.932

Country (top 5 shown)

 United Kingdom

173 (48%)

75 (57%)

0.314

 United States

80 (22.5%)

23 (17%)

 

 Australia

45 (13%)

23 (17%)

 

 France

11 (3%)

4 (3%)

 

 Canada

12 (3%)

2 (1.5%)

 

 Proportion accounted for by top 5 countries

321 (89.5%)

127 (94.5%)