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Autism spectrum research

Everything we have read on autism spectrum. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

2,764 PAPERS · PAGE 25 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2022Medical symptoms and conditions in autistic women.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic women reported higher rates of prediabetes symptoms, reproductive diagnoses, and irregular puberty. Metabolic conditions like diabetes were less common, possibly due to lower healthcare access. Clinicians should screen for these sex-steroid-related issues in autistic women.
• OTSLPQualitative2022"I Spent Most of Freshers in my Room"-A Qualitative Study of the Social Experiences of University Students on the Autistic Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTen autistic university students described being selective about friends, valuing quality over quantity, and hiding their diagnosis from peers due to fear of stereotypes. They found quiet spaces, non-alcohol events, and social mentoring helpful. This is one small group's experience, not evidence that any approach works.
• SLPOther2022Is it Possible to Assess the Two-Domain Definition of the Broad Autism Phenotype Using the Available Measurement Tools?Journal of autism and developmental disordersThree common autism-phenotype questionnaires did not fully capture the updated broad autism phenotype. Across 349 students, their 13 subscales grouped into two broad patterns, but restricted/repetitive behaviour items were underrepresented, especially sensory and motor items.
• SLPOther2022Alexithymic But Not Autistic Traits Impair Prosocial Behavior.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn healthy adults, higher alexithymia scores linked to less prosocial behavior in a resource allocation task. Autistic traits showed no such link. This suggests that difficulties identifying emotions, rather than autistic traits themselves, may drive reduced cooperation in this experimental setting.
• SLPPilot2022Mental health Project ECHO Autism: Increasing access to community mental health services for autistic individuals.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCommunity mental health providers who completed a 6-month tele-mentoring program reported significantly higher confidence, knowledge, and problem-solving skills for treating autistic clients. The program improved provider self-efficacy in adapting CBT and managing co-occurring conditions, but did not measure actual patient outcomes.
• SLPCase-Control2021Health profiles of adults with autism spectrum disorder: Differences between women and men.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchWomen with autism had more recorded health care use for nutrition, neurologic, psychiatric and sleep problems than men with autism, beyond what being female and having autism separately explained. Adults with autism also had more recorded conditions than matched controls.
• OTSLPSurvey2022Factors Contributing to Psychological Ill-Effects and Resilience of Caregivers of Children with Developmental Disabilities During a Nation-wide Lockdown During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDuring lockdown, over half of caregivers of children with developmental disabilities screened positive for depression and anxiety. Poor guidance from therapists and difficulty keeping children indoors were key predictors of distress, while higher resilience was linked to better support.
• SLPOther2022The utility of parent-report screening tools in differentiating autism versus attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in school-age children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThree parent screeners separated autism from ADHD without autism only moderately well in 176 verbally fluent school-age children. The SCQ-L performed best, but none was good enough to diagnose alone; clinicians still need full assessment.
• OTSLPCohort2022Adding the missing voice: How self-report of autistic youth self-report on an executive functioning rating scale compares to parent report and that of youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or neurotypical development.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic youth self-report executive function problems that match their parents' overall pattern but are consistently less severe. Their own reports identify flexibility as a primary struggle, validating the use of self-report alongside parent forms to capture the patient's perspective.
• SLPOther2022Implementation and Evolution of a Primary Care-Based Program for Adolescents and Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA primary care program for autistic adults used longer visits, pre-visit calls, and procedure videos. It served 858 patients over six years. The team found that simple changes like letting patients wait in cars and scheduling them first or last helped integration without needing a separate clinic.
• SLPSurvey2022Mental Health and Resilient Coping in Caregivers of Autistic Individuals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from the Families Facing COVID Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost caregivers of autistic children reported high anxiety and moderate stress during the pandemic, with nearly half showing low resilient coping. While resilient coping was linked to better mental health overall, it did not buffer the specific impact of pandemic disruptions on stress or anxiety.
• OTSLPCohort2022Supporting autistic adults' episodic memory recall in interviews: The role of executive functions, theory of mind, and language abilities.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceSupportive questioning removed the link between interview performance and cognitive abilities for autistic adults. When questions were open-ended, expressive language predicted recall specificity. With specific prompts, no cognitive factor predicted performance, suggesting support reduces the mental load of interviewing.
• SLPQualitative2022Autism diagnosis as a social process.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceClinicians in autism assessment teams described long waiting lists and limited time narrowing assessments, while diagnosis involved building a shared narrative and interpreting tools such as the ADOS as partial, especially for women and girls.
• SLPCase Series2022Developing Pretend Play in Autistic Children Using the Playboxes Joint Play Approach as Part of Ongoing Practice.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSeven autistic children aged 5 to 8 years showed increased pretend play scores after up to ten 30 to 40 minute weekly joint play sessions. Gains ranged from 8 to 30 months in age equivalent scores, including for children with learning difficulties or English as an additional language.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2021Functional connectivity within an anxiety network and associations with anxiety symptom severity in middle-aged adults with and without autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMiddle-aged adults with autism showed higher anxiety and reduced brain connectivity in anxiety networks. However, within the autism group, stronger connectivity in these networks correlated with more severe anxiety, a pattern opposite to that seen in typical adults. This suggests distinct neural mechanisms for anxiety in autism.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022In Our Own Words: The Complex Sensory Experiences of Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults described sensory differences as unpredictable, changing with mood and energy. One person may find bright lights painful while another seeks them out. Clinicians should ask about personal triggers and coping strategies rather than assuming standard sensory profiles apply to everyone.
• OTSLPCohort2022Early-Life Environmental and Child Factors Associated with the Presence of Disruptive Behaviors in Seven-Year-Old Children with Autistic Traits in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMany early-life factors link to disruptive behaviors in autistic children, not just autism itself. Smoking, difficult temperament, and family stress were specific to the disruptive group. Screen for these to tailor behavioral support.
• OTSLPQualitative2022In their own words: The impact of subtle language and communication difficulties as described by autistic girls and boys without intellectual disability.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children without intellectual disability reported word-finding, listening, group conversation and explaining emotions as breaking down communication. They linked these difficulties to stress, avoidance and missed daily activities, and named written supports and familiar topics as helpful.
• SLPCohort2021Cognitive correlates of autism spectrum disorder symptoms.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchHigher verbal IQ predicts fewer communication symptoms on clinician observation, but not on parent reports. Verbal IQ, not the gap between verbal and nonverbal scores, drives this link. The association was strongest in participants aged 10 and older.
• OTSLPQualitative2022Caregiver perspectives on the impact of uncertainty on the everyday lives of autistic children and their families.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents of autistic children described school and routine changes as major sources of anxiety. Children reacted with repetitive questions, shutdowns or avoidance, leading to missed education and social opportunities. Parents managed this through extensive preparation, reassurance and family accommodation.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Goal Attainment Scaling: An Idiographic Measure Sensitive to Parent and Teacher Report of IEP Goal Outcome Assessment for Students with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAn independent observer's goal attainment ratings correlated with parent and teacher reports of progress, but not with standardized behavior scales. This supports using individualized goal tracking for IEPs, while suggesting broad norm-referenced tests miss specific skill changes.
• SLPPilot2022Brief Report: The Effectiveness of Hugging a Huggable Device Before Having a Conversation with an Unfamiliar Person for Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTen autistic young men reported feeling more comfortable and secure after hugging a human-shaped cushion before talking to a stranger or robot. Their physiological stress markers also decreased, though the study was too small to prove the cushion alone caused this.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022A community-engaged approach to examining barriers and facilitators to accessing autism services in Korean immigrant families.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceKorean immigrant parents described barriers to autism services including long waitlists, school dismissals, and stigma. They valued family-centered care, bilingual providers, and community organizations. These findings highlight specific communication and navigation needs for therapists working with this population.
• OTSLPOther2022Cognitive processes in autism: Repetitive thinking in autistic versus non-autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults reported more repetitive thinking than non-autistic controls, but their thoughts were not more restricted, negative, or visual. The study suggests that obsessive thinking, rather than generic repetition, may drive insistence on sameness behaviours.
• SLPSurvey2021Differences in emotional state and autistic symptoms before and during confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Research in developmental disabilitiesCaregivers reported more anxiety, aggression, irritability and hyperactivity in autistic individuals during COVID confinement than in neurotypical controls. Repetitive behaviour was higher than in an earlier autistic group. Communication scores did not clearly change. This does not prove cause.
• SLPOther2022Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Deaf Adults with Intellectual Disability: Feasibility and Psychometric Properties of an Adapted Version of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2).Journal of autism and developmental disordersAn adapted autism assessment worked for 56 deaf adults with intellectual disability. It was completed in 98% of cases, averaging 28 minutes. Two experts agreed on most scores, though results for repetitive behaviors were less reliable than for social interaction.
• SLPCohort2022Long-Term Treatment Outcomes of PEERS® for Preschoolers: A Parent-Mediated Social Skills Training Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism who completed PEERS for Preschoolers kept reduced social impairment and more playdates 1 to 5 years later, but social skills compared with same-age peers and problem behaviors returned toward baseline.
• SLPOther2022Model Teachers or Model Students? A Comparison of Video Modelling Interventions for Improving Reading Fluency and Comprehension in Children with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFeedforward video self-modelling improved reading speed for two of four children with autism, while teacher-modelled video helped one child. Neither intervention consistently improved comprehension, and results varied widely by individual.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Sitting on the Sidelines: Disparities in Social, Recreational, and Community Participation Among Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with autism from lower-income households and those with caregivers having less education participate significantly less in sports, clubs, and paid work. Males with autism join fewer clubs and organized activities than females. These disparities are present during middle and high school.
• PTOTSLPOther2021Muscle strength and executive function in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism showed lower muscle strength and poorer executive function than healthy peers. Higher muscle strength predicted better executive function specifically in the autism group, but not in healthy children. BMI was unrelated to these outcomes.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Content validation of common measures of functioning for young children against the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and Code and Core Sets relevant to neurodevelopmental conditions.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNo single standard assessment for young children with neurodevelopmental conditions covers enough of the ICF framework to be comprehensive on its own. Clinicians need to use a battery of measures alongside clinical reasoning to get a complete picture of a child's functioning.
• SLPOther2022Brief Report: Caregiver Confidence in Reporting Anxiety Symptoms in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers were confident rating anxiety symptoms in children with autism, even when the child had limited speech or lower IQ. Confidence rose with more reported symptoms and fell with greater autism severity; accuracy was not tested.
• SLPCohort2022Perception and Production of Statement-Question Intonation in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Developmental Investigation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigh-functioning individuals with ASD matched controls in identifying, discriminating, and imitating question versus statement intonation. However, children with ASD had poorer pitch sensitivity. Musical analogues were easier to discriminate than speech for both groups, supporting music as a scaffold.
• SLPOther2021Puppets facilitate attention to social cues in children with ASD.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchWhen a human spoke, children with autism looked less at the human face than typical peers. When a puppet spoke, their attention to the puppet face matched typical peers. Puppets did not increase attention to the human face.
• SLPQualitative2022The lived experience of gender dysphoria in autistic adults: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described gender dysphoria as distressing and hard to articulate, often clashing with a need for routine. They faced barriers in healthcare due to communication differences and sensory environments. Services require adaptations like clear processes and sensory-friendly clinics to support them.
• SLPCohort2022Autism spectrum disorder screening in Chinese-language preschools.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceTrained observers using the Chinese COS identified children likely to have ASD about a year later with good accuracy. Teacher ratings were less accurate than observer ratings, possibly due to less training or cultural differences in behavior expectations.
• SLPOther2021The cerebellum is linked to theory of mind alterations in autism. A direct clinical and MRI comparison between individuals with autism and cerebellar neurodegenerative pathologies.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAdults with autism and adults with cerebellar degeneration performed similarly on theory-of-mind tests, but both scored lower than healthy controls. Both groups showed reduced right cerebellar Crus II volume, but volume did not correlate with scores.
• PTOTSLPCohort2021The prevalence and incidence of early-onset dementia among adults with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAdults with autism enrolled in Medicaid were diagnosed with early-onset dementia at a younger age and had a significantly higher risk of developing it than the general Medicaid population. The risk was highest for those with co-occurring intellectual disability, but remained elevated for those with autism alone.
• SLPQualitative2021Autistic adults' personal experiences of navigating a social world prior to and during Covid-19 lockdown in Spain.Research in developmental disabilitiesAutistic adults in Spain described the lockdown as reducing the exhausting need to camouflage socially, allowing time for personal interests. However, they faced increased stigma and isolation from the public and a lack of autism support, which intensified anxiety and feelings of vulnerability.
• SLPOther2022Differentiation of autism spectrum disorder and mood or anxiety disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceStandard autism tests often flag mood and anxiety disorders as autism. For children, specific items like stereotyped words and poor social overtures best separate the two. For adolescents and adults, tests are less accurate, so rely on direct observation of social communication rather than scores alone.
• OTSLPOther2022Brief Report: Initial Evidence of Depressive Symptom Disparities among Black and White Transition Age Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBlack autistic transition-age youth reported higher depressive symptoms than White autistic peers, but rates of clinical depression did not differ. The sample was small, so these findings suggest a need for further research rather than a confirmed disparity.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Teacher Characteristics, Knowledge and Use of Evidence-Based Practices in Autism Education in Ireland.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost Irish primary teachers have low knowledge of autism evidence-based practices, relying instead on traditional methods. Teachers with more training and frequent access to allied health support report higher knowledge and use of these practices.
• SLPQualitative2022The impact of socio-cultural values on autistic women: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEight autistic women described how unspoken cultural rules and gender stereotypes made their struggles invisible. They felt pressured to change to fit in, often being judged as rude or exaggerating. Supportive relationships helped them separate from these harmful expectations and build a more authentic sense of self.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022COVID-19 risk: Adult Medicaid beneficiaries with autism, intellectual disability, and mental health conditions.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAdults with autism, intellectual disability, or mental health conditions on Medicaid had significantly higher odds of living in congregate settings, receiving in-home care, and having severe comorbidities like obesity and chronic lung disease, increasing their COVID-19 exposure and severity risk.
• SLPCohort2022Infant Effortful Control Mediates Relations Between Nondirective Parenting and Internalising-Related Child Behaviours in an Autism-Enriched Infant Cohort.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn infants with older siblings who have autism, more nondirective parenting at 8 months linked to better toddler self-regulation, which in turn predicted fewer internalising symptoms at 3 years. Parenting did not change the risk from early behavioural inhibition, and the link disappeared when children later diagnosed with autism were excluded.
• OTSLPSurvey2022Predictors of Satisfaction with Autism Treatment Services During COVID-19.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of autistic children reported lower satisfaction with speech, occupational, and behavioral therapy when delivered via telehealth compared to in-person. However, higher caregiver stress predicted higher satisfaction with psychotherapy and occupational therapy. These are associations from a survey, not proof of cause.
• SLPOther2022"I Don't Do Much Without Researching Things Myself": A Mixed Methods Study Exploring the Role of Parent Health Literacy in Autism Services Use for Young Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism rarely rely on a single source of information. They actively cross-check advice from doctors, the internet, and other parents, often prioritizing their own research over clinical recommendations. Financial barriers and insurance confusion significantly hinder access to services.
• SLPOther2021Joint attention and intelligence in children with autism spectrum disorder without severe intellectual disability.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 113 children with autism without severe intellectual disability, ADOS joint attention scores were linked to K-ABC intelligence scores. Higher joint attention sum related to lower mental processing index scores. Only hand movements and matrix analogies showed this link. This is not proof.
• SLPQualitative2022Parental Experiences with Early Identification and Initial Care for their Child with Autism: Tailored Improvement Strategies.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism reported feeling their concerns were dismissed by healthcare professionals, leading to stigma and isolation. They identified knowledge gaps in first-line care and system fragmentation as major barriers to early diagnosis and support.
• SLPOther2022Autism Through the Ages: A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding How Age and Age of Diagnosis Affect Quality of Life.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults reported lower quality of life than non-autistic adults. Later diagnosis was linked with poorer quality of life and more autistic traits. Interviews described years of masking and stigma, then diagnosis as helpful but stressful.