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A doctoral candidate in the Policy Lab and Disability Policy Research Program is examining how Canadian policies define neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD and autism, how diagnosis rates are changing, and whether the supports available improve children’s well-being. 

By analyzing large provincial data sets, the project aims to understand which interventions lead to the best outcomes and to provide evidence-based recommendations for policymakers. Ultimately, Christiane Roth aims to improve services for autistic and ADHD youth and children by strengthening the data-to-policy pipeline.

Understanding diagnostic criteria is important

One key issue is how neurodevelopmental disabilities are defined in policy and practice. Diagnostic criteria for ADHD and autism have changed significantly over time.

“We do know that ADHD and autism diagnoses are increasing in children and youth, but also in adults, and diagnoses are increasing around the world. There is discussion on how much and why,” says Roth, a doctoral scholar at the University of Ģ����ý’s .

Roth notes that diagnostic criteria have shifted significantly over time. “Forty or 50 years ago, ADHD was defined very differently. It was almost exclusively associated with hyperactivity in young boys who couldn’t sit still,” she says. “With time, the diagnosis criteria have broadened for both ADHD and autism. The threshold for diagnosis has also lowered, meaning fewer symptoms may be required for someone to get diagnosed. 

“The rate of having both autism and ADHD together (often referred to as AuDHD) is increasing fast, because, in the past, it wasn’t even possible to be diagnosed with both.” 

Data sets

In addition to examining policies and definitions used, the next part of Roth’s research uses data sets to describe diagnosis rates and see what supports children are receiving and whether these supports are associated with improvements in outcomes such as educational performance, mental health and physical health.

The research project uses administrative data collected in British Columbia. Administrative data includes records generated through interactions with public systems such as health care, education and social services. Using these data, Roth can track individuals and the supports they receive, including prescription medications, special education services and targeted social programs.

While she is using data from one specific province, the recommendations in her research can be applied across Canada.

Roth says her early findings suggest gaps between observed trends and existing policies. “For example, autistic girls are often diagnosed later than boys and have higher rates of diagnosed co-occurring mental health conditions, yet policies do not consistently reflect these differences,” she says. 

What makes Roth’s work especially valuable is the combination of rigorous data analysis with the lived experiences of families and communities, says , PhD, director of Social Policy and Health at UĢ����ý’s . “Christiane’s work is an excellent example of the role trainees can play in generating evidence that is both scientifically strong and deeply connected to real-world needs,” says Zwicker, who is also Canada Research Chair in Disability Policy for Children and Youth, and an associate professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology.

Throughout her research, Roth also works with two national Canadian organizations — and — drawing on their expertise and networks to ground her analyses in the lived experience of families.