What Do Parents Think about Chromosomal Microarray Testing? A Qualitative Report from Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Table 2

Motivators for participants with at least one child with ASD to participate in CMA genetic testing ().

Theme	(%)	Illustrative quote
Helping identify a potential cause of autism	21 (46.7)	To know exactly where the origin of the problem of autism is that he has. (Female, Hispanic/Latino, Income: <); The motivation would be to help the knowledge base better understand what causes autism… Having research like this can help the stigma of autism. (Male, American Indian/Alaskan native, Income: >95K)
Preparing for having another child with ASD	21 (46.7)	I would like to know. I think it would be nice to know while you’re pregnant with the child if the child is going to have autism… it would be a preparation tool. You know you would be able to prepare yourself, and to start preparing you and your family for what you’re going to have to do when the child is growing up and prepare you for all the therapies and the cost of autism and the stress – that would be really helpful to know that information. (Male, White, Income: ); For me, if I wanted to have another child, I would be prepared if it was coming with autism…. (Female, Hispanic/Latino, Income: 15–35K)
Family planning	18 (40)	If I had done the test before I got pregnant, it would have been to make the decision if I would get pregnant or not or if I would have had this baby. (Female, Hispanic/Latino, Income: <15K)
Early intervention	17 (37.8)	I can get help ahead of time… Instead of waiting until it is too late… so that he has to catch up. (Male, White,  75–95K)
Research to benefit other families	15 (33.3)	I think probably at this point in their [children with autism] lives the only reason why I would want to know is to help other people… but I think it would be especially at this point the testing would be more to help other people. (Female, White, Income: >95K)
Benefit their own child with autism	14 (31.1)	I don’t know that it will happen in my lifetime, but to help with drugs, chemicals, and could help even my son [with autism]. (Male, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Income:  >95K)
Getting to know the recurrence risk	8 (17.7)	I would personally do something like that, if I were to have another child I would want to know the risks, not that it would make a difference but it would be good to know. (Female, White, Income:  35–55K)
Confirming autism diagnosis	3 (6.7)	I would do it, [participate in CMA testing] not because I want to have more children, but to do away with doubts [that he has autism] and more than anything. (Male, Latino/Hispanic, Income: 35–55K)