TOPIC

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 27 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPQualitative2021Autistic Adults' Experiences of Camouflaging and Its Perceived Impact on Mental Health.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults described camouflaging as exhausting and damaging to mental health, yet necessary to access work and relationships. They camouflaged less when understood or accepted, suggesting clinical environments should reduce pressure to mask rather than assume masking equals coping.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Co-occurring conditions and racial-ethnic disparities: Medicaid enrolled adults on the autism spectrum.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMedicaid-enrolled autistic adults had higher rates of most mental health conditions and several physical ones, but lower rates of others like stroke and cerebral palsy. Significant racial-ethnic disparities existed in both physical and mental health diagnoses compared to white autistic adults.
• SLPRCT2021Psychotropic Medication Use by Children with Autism Served in Publicly Funded Mental Health Settings.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPNearly half of children with autism in public mental health services took psychotropic medication, with 17% on three or more. Stimulants were most common. Non-Hispanic White ethnicity, lower cognitive functioning, and ADHD diagnosis were linked to higher medication use.
• SLPCase Series2022Descriptive Longitudinal Analysis of Stereotypy and Corresponding Changes in Psychotropic Medication.Developmental neurorehabilitationIn three adults with ASD and intellectual disability, body rocking, air holding, and grunting did not change predictably when psychotropic medications were adjusted. Some changes occurred, but they were inconsistent, so medication changes cannot be assumed to reduce stereotypy.
• OTSLPQualitative2022Who gets coached? A qualitative inquiry into community clinicians' decisions to use caregiver coaching.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceClinicians reported deciding against caregiver coaching for families facing poverty, competing priorities, or cultural barriers. They often attributed these decisions to family deficits rather than systemic constraints, potentially widening disparities in access to evidence-based early intervention.
• SLPOther2022Parallel age-related cognitive effects in autism: A cross-sectional replication study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic adults aged 30 to 89 showed cognitive aging similar to non-autistic adults, with no evidence of faster decline. They had lower verbal fluency and theory-of-mind scores and reported more everyday cognitive failures.
• SLPCohort2022Autism screening at 18 months of age: a comparison of the Q-CHAT-10 and M-CHAT screeners.Molecular autismAt 18 months, the M-CHAT-R/F follow-up interview found fewer autism cases than the M-CHAT-R alone. Adding up Q-CHAT-10 answers found more cases than M-CHAT-R/F, but many flagged children did not have autism. Screening at this age remains imperfect.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022The importance of home: Satisfaction with accommodation, neighborhood, and life in adults with autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMost autistic adults in this study lived independently, and they rated their homes and neighborhoods as satisfying as matched non-autistic adults. Sensory sensitivity did not predict accommodation satisfaction. However, independently living autistic adults reported significantly lower overall life satisfaction than the community group.
• SLPOther2022Shorter average look durations to dynamic social stimuli are associated with higher levels of autism symptoms in young autistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceYoung autistic children who sustained attention for shorter periods on a social video showed more severe autism symptoms, poorer communication skills, and more social withdrawal. Traditional measures of where they looked did not correlate with these symptoms.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Adaptation and validation of two autism-related measures of skills and quality of life in Ethiopia.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThe Amharic versions of the ATEC and PedsQL Family Impact Module reliably distinguish children with neurodevelopmental disorders from those with physical health conditions. They are suitable for monitoring change in low-resource settings, though they do not yet track clinical severity.
• SLPCohort2021Preference for biological motion is reduced in ASD: implications for clinical trials and the search for biomarkers.Molecular autismAutistic participants showed a preference for biological motion, but it was smaller than in neurotypical controls. This difference was stable from age 6 to 30. However, looking preference did not track changes in social symptoms over time, limiting its use as a clinical marker.
• SLPCohort2021Childhood diagnoses in individuals identified as autistics in adulthood.Molecular autism69% of males and 61% of females diagnosed with autism in adulthood had no recorded selected childhood psychiatric or neurological diagnosis before age 18. Among those who did, median age was over 10 for most diagnoses.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Posture Matters: Object Manipulation During the Transition to Arms-Free Sitting in Infants at Elevated vs. Typical Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder.Physical & occupational therapy in pediatricsInfants at elevated likelihood for autism spent significantly less time grasping toys when sitting independently compared to supported sitting. This postural demand reduced their total object manipulation time, potentially limiting early learning opportunities.
• SLPSystematic Review2022Autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia: An updated conceptual review.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutism and schizophrenia share symptoms, genetic risks, and brain connectivity patterns, but direct comparisons are sparse and often inconsistent. Clinicians must differentiate them using developmental history and specific signs like restricted behaviors, as standard autism tests do not reliably separate the two in adults.
• OTSLPOther2022Daily Living Skills in Adolescent and Young Adult Males With Fragile X Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilitiesMales with fragile X syndrome aged 15 to 23 often did personal self-care independently but needed more help with chores, cooking, errands, and finances. Stronger nonverbal thinking and understanding sentences were linked to greater independence; anxiety was not.
• SLPRCT2022The effectiveness of training community mental health therapists in an evidence-based intervention for ASD: Findings from a hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial in outpatient and school-based mental health services.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceTherapists trained in the AIM HI package used significantly more active teaching strategies with caregivers, more engagement strategies with children, and more structured sessions than those in usual care. The training did not significantly change how therapists used active teaching strategies directly with children.
• OTSLPOther2022Delineating the autistic phenotype in children with neurofibromatosis type 1.Molecular autismChildren with NF1 who screened positive for autism showed social communication deficits similar to idiopathic autism, but their repetitive behaviours were distinct. They rarely had motor stereotypies, but commonly showed insistence on sameness, such as difficulty with minor changes and noise sensitivity.
• SLPOther2022Latent profiles of autism symptoms in children and adolescents with Down syndrome.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAmong 125 children and adolescents with Down syndrome, caregiver-reported autism symptoms fell into three profiles, not two. In elevated profiles, social motivation was less elevated than social communication, awareness, and cognition.
• SLPOther2022Iterative redesign of a caregiver-mediated intervention for use in educational settings.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceSchool staff identified time constraints and lack of training as major barriers to using behavioral interventions. The redesigned program addresses this by providing premade visual supports, adding autism training, and targeting paraeducators as the primary users.
• SLPCohort2022Friend matters: sex differences in social language during autism diagnostic interviews.Molecular autismAutistic girls used more social and friend-related words than boys during diagnostic interviews, despite matching them on age, IQ, and clinician-rated symptom severity. This higher social talk did not indicate better social skills, and may lead to missed diagnoses if observers mistake it for competence.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2022Current and lifetime somatic symptom burden among transition-aged autistic young adults.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchTransition-aged autistic adults report high rates of fatigue, sleep problems, and pain, with females reporting significantly more symptoms than males. While these physical complaints strongly correlate with anxiety and depression, they do not independently predict lower quality of life once mental health is accounted for.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Sensory features in autism: Findings from a large population-based surveillance system.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchSensory features were documented in 74% of 25,627 autistic children. These features co-occurred with motor, attention, sleep, and eating challenges, but not with cognitive scores. Documentation was lower for girls, Black children, and Hispanic children, suggesting missed cases rather than true absence.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Association between atopic diseases and neurodevelopmental disabilities in a longitudinal birth cohort.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with ADHD or other neurodevelopmental disabilities were significantly more likely to have asthma, eczema, or allergic rhinitis. Autism showed no such link. Therapists should watch for these common allergies in patients with ADHD or developmental delays, as they may worsen symptoms.
• SLPOther2022Sex differences in automatic emotion regulation in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn adolescents with autism, females were more accurate at withholding responses to angry faces, while males were more accurate at pressing for happy faces. Brain signals for attention and inhibition differed by sex; early face perception signals did not.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Understanding the participation outcomes for persons with disability when partnered with assistance dogs: A scoping review.Australian occupational therapy journalAssistance dog partnerships showed mixed participation outcomes across 38 studies. While many reported improved self-care and social interaction, others found no benefit or added burdens like financial cost and training workload. The evidence is too weak to confirm efficacy, but it helps prepare clients for realistic expectations.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Autism and chronic ill health: an observational study of symptoms and diagnoses of central sensitivity syndromes in autistic adults.Molecular autismSixty percent of autistic adults scored high on a central sensitization screen, but only 31% of those had a formal diagnosis. Symptoms were strongly linked to anxiety and sensory sensitivity rather than autism traits alone, suggesting these factors drive physical health risks.
• SLPOther2022Predictive language processing in young autistic children.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic children aged 3 to 4 use verbs to predict upcoming nouns, but less efficiently than younger neurotypical children with similar language skills. Stronger receptive language predicted faster looking, regardless of diagnosis. The groups did not differ in how quickly they used this information over time.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2022Toileting Resistance Among Preschool-Age Children with and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPPreschoolers with autism resist toilet training far more often than peers with other delays or typical development. Constipation, diarrhea, and social awareness deficits are key markers. Clinicians should screen for these issues before starting toilet training to avoid resistance.
• PTOTSLPOther2022Subdomains of restricted and repetitive behaviors within autism: Exploratory structural equation modeling using the diagnostic interview for social and communication disorders.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchRestricted and repetitive behaviors in autism split into six distinct domains, not just motor and sameness. Sensory interests, sensory sensitivity, and stereotyped language emerged as separate factors. These patterns vary by age and intellectual ability, suggesting clinicians should assess these subdomains individually rather than as one block.
• OTSLPQualitative2022How parents of children with autism spectrum disorder experience the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives and insights on the new normal.Research in developmental disabilitiesParents of children with autism described lockdown as initially offering rest and family time, but prolonged isolation led to severe stress, routine disruption, and behavioral crises. They urgently requested remote psychological support and adapted educational strategies to maintain engagement.
• SLPOther2022Nonshared environmental factors in the aetiology of autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions: a monozygotic co-twin control study.Molecular autismAmong identical twin pairs, the twin with at least 18% lower birth weight had more autistic and ADHD traits than their co-twin. Higher cumulative early medical risk was also linked to more autistic traits. This shows a link, not a cause.
• PTSLPNarrative Review2022Who benefits from diagnostic labels for developmental disorders?Developmental medicine and child neurologyDiagnostic labels for ADHD and autism help patients understand their struggles and access services, but can also cause stigma and self-fulfilling expectations. Clinicians should weigh these benefits against harms for each patient rather than assuming labels are purely helpful or harmful.
• SLPOther2022Conversational adaptation in children and teens with autism: Differences in talkativeness across contexts.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAcross 98 verbally fluent children and teens, autistic participants did not lower talkativeness when a new partner acted bored and spoke less, while neurotypical peers did.
• SLPPilot2022A trial of online ABRACADABRA literacy instruction with supplementary parent-led shared book reading for children with autism.Research in developmental disabilitiesOnline literacy instruction with parent-led reading did not significantly improve reading accuracy or comprehension compared to a control group. Parents reported positive experiences and perceived some child gains, but adherence to home reading tasks was inconsistent.
• SLPSystematic Review2022Global prevalence of autism: A systematic review update.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe median global autism prevalence is 100 per 10,000, but estimates vary wildly from 1.09 to 436 per 10,000. This huge spread is driven by how cases are found and defined, not just by biology or geography.
• SLPCohort2022Prenatal exposure to pesticide residues in the diet in association with child autism-related traits: Results from the EARLI study.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchPrenatal dietary pesticide exposure showed no link to increased autism-related traits in children. Higher vegetable intake was associated with lower trait scores, though this finding was not significant. These results do not support avoiding produce due to pesticide concerns.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2022Maternal tobacco smoking and offspring autism spectrum disorder or traits in ECHO cohorts.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchMaternal smoking showed no link to autism diagnosis in the main analysis. However, when excluding biased study designs, a 1.44-fold increased odds of diagnosis emerged. Smoking was consistently linked to higher scores for social impairment traits.
• PTOTSLPCohort2022Early measurement of autism risk constructs in the general population: A new factor structure of the First Years Inventory (FYIv3.1) for ages 6-16 months.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchThe revised First Years Inventory breaks down into seven distinct risk domains for infants aged 6 to 16 months. Non-social markers like sensory regulation and motor skills significantly distinguished children with later autism diagnoses from those with other developmental delays.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2022Interventions for social and community participation for adults with intellectual disability, psychosocial disability or on the autism spectrum: An umbrella systematic review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPerson-centred planning and individualised support consistently improved social participation, while group social skills training showed limited or inconsistent effects for adults on the autism spectrum. Interventions that provided real-world community access and active mentoring were more effective than those focusing solely on building individual skills.
• SLPCohort2022Phenotypic differences between female and male individuals with suspicion of autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismFemales with autism were diagnosed later and showed fewer restricted/repetitive behaviors than males. The ADOS algorithm worked equally well for both sexes, but females required fewer observed social features to reach a diagnosis. Clinicians must actively rule out anxiety and depression when assessing females.
• SLPSurvey2022Brief report: Validity and reliability of the Nigerian Autism Screening Questionnaire.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn 12,311 Nigerian children aged 1-18, a parent-reported autism questionnaire grouped symptoms into social communication, repetitive sensory motor behavior, and insistence on sameness. It was not checked against diagnosis.
• SLPCohort2022The autism biomarkers consortium for clinical trials: evaluation of a battery of candidate eye-tracking biomarkers for use in autism clinical trials.Molecular autismEye-tracking measures of gaze to faces were feasible and stable in children with autism. These measures differed significantly from typically developing peers and correlated with social communication scores, supporting their use as biomarkers for clinical trial stratification.
• OTSLPCohort2022The relevance of the interpersonal theory of suicide for predicting past-year and lifetime suicidality in autistic adults.Molecular autismIn autistic adults, feeling like a burden and mentally rehearsing suicide predicted suicidal thoughts and attempts. Being single increased risk via these feelings. Pain tolerance did not predict attempts, and age at diagnosis showed no link to suicidality in this sample.
• OTSLPSurvey2022Comparison of unmet health care needs in children with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder and both disorders combined.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRChildren with intellectual disability alone had more unmet medical, hearing and mental health care needs than children with autism, and more gaps in insurance coverage; children with both diagnoses had more general unmet needs but fewer unmet medical needs.
• SLPCohort2022Super responders: Predicting language gains from JASPER among limited language children with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 99 limited-language children with autism receiving JASPER, those who used more diverse play actions were significantly more likely to make accelerated language gains. Children with low play diversity and poor fine motor skills showed slower progress, though most still gained some language.
• OTSLPSurvey2022Effect of Covid-19 lockdown on indian children with autism.Research in developmental disabilitiesParents reported that children with autism regressed across daily living, language, behaviour, school and online therapy during the Indian lockdown. School performance showed the largest drop. The authors suggest preparing home-based and parent-led plans for future closures.
• OTSLPOther2022Elevated symptoms of executive dysfunction predict lower adaptive functioning in 3-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchToddlers with autism had higher parent-rated executive function difficulties than siblings, children with other delays, and typically developing peers. These difficulties were linked to poorer communication, socialization, and daily living skills, even after accounting for development and autism severity.
• OTSLPCohort2022Attention/Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adolescent and Young Adult Males With Fragile X Syndrome.American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities42% of adolescent and young adult males with Fragile X Syndrome met DSM-5 criteria for ADHD, mostly the inattentive type. The CBCL rating scale missed nearly 20% of these cases, so relying on it alone can lead to under-diagnosis in this group.
• SLPSystematic Review2022Autistic women's views and experiences of infant feeding: A systematic review of qualitative evidence.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic mothers described maternity services as inaccessible due to unasked touches, vague questions, and sensory overload. Support groups felt impossible to navigate. One-to-one help and written materials worked. Clinicians must ask about sensory needs and avoid assuming standard breastfeeding advice applies.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2022A qualitative examination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents with autism and their parents.Research in developmental disabilitiesMost parents reported their children lost previously mastered skills, but others noted gains in daily living and reduced stress. Families need flexible service delivery and caregiver training to navigate disruptions.