title: Community participation and environment of children with and without autism spectrum disorder: parent perspectives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explored parent perspectives of participation patterns and environmental supports and barriers for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within their communities compared with a group of children without ASD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth was used to gather online data from parents of 99 children with ASD and 241 children without ASD. Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square tests were used to explore differences between groups and Cohen's d was calculated to examine effect sizes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between children with and without ASD were observed for all participation and environment summary scores. Children with ASD participated less frequently, were less involved, and their parents were less satisfied with their child's participation in community-based activities. Parents of children with ASD also identified fewer supports for their child's participation and more environmental barriers than other parents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with ASD participated less in community-related activities than children without ASD as perceived by their parents. Barriers limiting community participation included features of the social and physical environment and limited resources.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Occupational therapists should focus on decreasing environmental challenges in their efforts to facilitate participation of children with ASD in the community.
authors.affiliation: a Faculty of Social and Human Sciences , University of Iceland , Reykjavík , Iceland.
authors.forename: Snæfrídur T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Egilson
authors.affiliation: b Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Department , University Hospital of Iceland , Reykjavík , Iceland.
authors.forename: Gunnhildur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jakobsdóttir
authors.affiliation: c School of Humanities and Social Sciences , University of Akureyri , Akureyri , Iceland.
authors.forename: Kjartan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ólafsson
authors.affiliation: d The State Diagnostic and Councelling Centre , Kópavogur , Iceland.
authors.forename: Thóra
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Leósdóttir
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003256:Community Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Autism spectrum disorder; children; community; environment; participation