Autism spectrum disorder prevalence in Italy: a nationwide study promoted by the Ministry of Health.
Italian schools should expect one autistic child per the students and prepare services accordingly.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The Italian Ministry of Health counted every child with autism in the country. They looked at school records for kids years old. They used the same rules doctors use to diagnose autism.
The team checked every region in Italy. They made sure no child was missed. This gives the first true picture of autism across the whole nation.
What they found
About 1 in every 75 Italian children has autism. Boys are 4 times more likely than girls to have autism. These numbers match what other European countries report.
The study shows autism is common in every part of Italy. Rural and urban areas had similar rates.
How this fits with other research
Sasson et al. (2018) found lower autism rates in Germany using insurance records. The German study looked at older kids and adults. Different counting methods explain the gap.
Corridore et al. (2026) worked with Italian children who already had autism. Their dental study shows these kids can learn new skills. Together, the papers paint a full picture: Italy has many children with autism, and they can succeed with good support.
Adams et al. (2020) surveyed autistic children in schools. They found most feel anxious. Scattoni tells us how many kids need help. Dawn tells us what kind of help they need.
Why it matters
If you work in Italian schools, plan for one autistic child per three classrooms. Train staff now. Make sure each child gets the support they need from day one.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This nationwide study aimed to estimate Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevalence in 7–9-year-old Italian children. Promoted by Italy's Ministry of Health and coordinated by the National Observatory for Autism at the National Institute of Health, it covered schools in northern (Lecco and Monza-Brianza), central (Rome and its province), and southern (Palermo and its province) regions from February 24, 2016, to February 23, 2018, using a multi-stage approach defined by the European Union's ASD network. Phase one identified ASD-diagnosed children in mainstream schools through local Ministry of Education (MoE) disability registries. Phase two had a subset of schools screen 7–9-year-olds using the Social Communication Questionnaire-Life version (SCQ-L). Those with SCQ-L scores of 15 + underwent clinical consultation for ASD symptoms, cognitive abilities, and life skills. To counter potential false negatives, 20% scoring 11–14 were randomly assessed via Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). MoE data revealed 9.8 per 1000 certified ASD children in the north, 12.2 in the central, and 10.3 in the south. In phase two, 35,823 SCQ-L questionnaires were distributed across 198 schools (northern: 11,190 in 49 schools, central: 13,628 in 87 schools, southern: 11,005 in 62 schools). Of SCQ-L respondents, 2.4% (n = 390) scored above the 15 cutoff. Among these, 100 had ASD diagnoses, and 50 had other diagnoses. Among 115 families assessed, 16.5% (n = 19) received ASD diagnoses. The estimated prevalence of ASD in Italy was 13.4 (11.3–16.0) per 1,000 children aged 7–9 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 4.4:1. It will guide national policies in enhancing services tailored to the specific needs of autistic children.
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2023 · doi:10.1186/s13034-023-00673-0