About the Global Autism Prevalence Map
This map was created by the team at The Transmitter, an essential resource for the neuroscience community, dedicated to helping scientists at all career stages stay current and build connections. Spectrum is a key part of The Transmitter and publishes news and perspectives about autism research. Subscribe to our Spectrum newsletter to stay up to date.
The map features a collection of studies on autism prevalence around the world. It highlights places where information is available—and places where information is missing. We periodically update the map with new studies as they become available
How to use the Global Autism Prevalence Map:
Each dot on the map represents a study. To see more information about a particular study, click on the corresponding dot. The window that pops up has key pieces of available information from that study.
You can also view and filter the studies in the “list” view. In either the map or the list view, you can use the filters at the top to display studies that match certain criteria, such as sample size, prevalence estimate or study type. And you can use the timeline at the bottom of the page to filter by the years in which studies were conducted or published.
Key to terms used on the Global Autism Prevalence Map:
Prevalence is shown on the map as the estimated number of autistic people per 10,000 people in the population studied.
When available, the study shows the proportion of participants with at least an average IQ—the definition of “average” IQ varies from study to study but typically refers to a score above 70 or 80.
Diagnostic criteria include the following options:
ABC—Autism Behavior Checklist
ADOS—Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule
ADI, ADI-R—Autism Diagnostic Interview, Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised
Autistic Disorder
CABS—Clancy Autism Behavior Scale
CARS—Childhood Autism Rating Scale
CCMD-2, CCMD-2-R—Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders, 2nd edition
Clinician diagnosis
DAWBA—Development and Well-Being Assessment
DISCO—Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorderss
DSM-III, DSM-III-R, DSM-IV, DSM-IV-TR, DSM-5—editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Gillberg criteria—Christopher Gillberg’s diagnostic description
ICD-8, ICD-9, ICD-9-CM, ICD-10—editions of the International Classification of Diseases
INDT-ASD—INCLEN Diagnostic Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Parent report
Kanner criteria—Leo Kanner’s diagnostic description
SCDC—Social and Communication Disorders Checklist
SCQ—Social Communication Questionnaire
SRS—Social Responsiveness Scale
Rating scale
RDC—Research Diagnostic Criteria
Rutter criteria—Michael Rutter’s diagnostic description
Study type includes the following options:
Epidemiological survey—active case-finding with two-stage screen and case confirmation
Registry—analysis of already-identified cases in research databases
Administrative database—classifications based on existing documented provision of services
General health survey—reported symptoms or diagnoses in a population-based survey sample
Research cohort—people identified for research projects and followed over time
Category includes the following options:
AD—autistic disorder (now classified as autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, in the DSM-5)
PDD—pervasive developmental disorder (now classified as ASD in the DSM-5)
ASD—autism spectrum disorder
How to cite the Global Autism Prevalence Map:
Please include a statement in your article or on your website that indicates that you retrieved the information from https://autismprevalence.thetransmitter.org/. If you refer to the map by name, please call it the “Global Autism Prevalence Map from The Transmitter” and link to this page. For more information on syndication, visit our editorial policies page.
Read stories on autism prevalence published by The Transmitter:
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U.S. autism prevalence continues to rise as race and sex gaps shrink, new stats show
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Analysis offers first reliable estimate of prevalence in Oman
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Autism incidence in England varies by ethnicity, class, location
Explore more at https://www.thetransmitter.org/prevalence/
The team behind the global Autism Prevalence Map:
The Global Autism Prevalence Map is updated periodically with information collected by Heather MacFarlane, a research data analyst at Oregon Health & Science University.
The Global Autism Prevalence Map was first released in 2018 under the leadership of Apoorva Mandavilli, Spectrum’s founding editor-in-chief. Nicholette Zeliadt, The Transmitter’s managing editor, led the map’s build on the editorial side. Rebecca Horne, The Transmitter’s art director, commissioned and oversees the map’s design. Michael Kranz, the Simons Foundation’s former director of web development, oversaw the map’s technical build.
Special project advisers Gauri Divan, director of the child development group at Sangath; Maureen Durkin, professor and chair of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Mayada Elsabbagh, professor of neurology and neurosurgery at McGill University; Eric Fombonne, professor emeritus of psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University; and Catherine Rice, branch chief in the Disability and Health Promotion Branch at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, provided invaluable guidance and expertise throughout the entire project.
We want to hear from you:
If you have questions or feedback about the Global Autism Prevalence Map, email us at [email protected].