Association Between Childhood Autism and Speech Development Difficulties: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study From Tajikistan

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with speech and language difficulties, yet empirical data from Central Asian countries remain scarce. This study examined the association between a diagnosis of childhood autism (ICD-10: F84.0) and the presence of speech development difficulties in a clinical sample from Tajikistan Method A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using clinical records of 85 patients (36 with F84.0; 49 with other psychiatric diagnoses) at the Insight Mental Health Center in Dushanbe, Tajikistan (December 2025–January 2026). Speech difficulties were identified through systematic review of clinical notes. Between-group comparisons were performed using Pearson’s χ 2 test, odds ratios (OR), relative risk (RR), and effect size measures (φ coefficient, Cohen’s h). Results Speech difficulties were present in 72.2% of the autism group versus 36.7% of the comparison group. The association was statistically significant (χ 2 = 10.47, p