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 42 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2025The Knowledge of Autism Questionnaire-UK: Development and Initial Psychometric Evaluation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe KAQ-UK is a 14-item questionnaire measuring autism knowledge in the UK. It shows promise for distinguishing knowledge levels, particularly identifying parents of autistic people as having higher scores, but requires further validation before clinical use.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025COVID-19 Pandemic Experiences of Families in Which a Child/Youth Has Autism and Their Service Providers: Perspectives and Lessons Learned.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFamilies and providers described navigating unclear essential service designations and rapid shifts to virtual care. While some found virtual options flexible, providers struggled to engage children remotely. Parents reported increased stress and isolation, though some adapted by using online tools to maintain connections.
• OTSLPOther2025Correlates of Impairment and Growth in Families of Young Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParent-reported child emotion dysregulation, sleep problems, and inflexibility linked to family life impairment more strongly than autism traits alone. Child sleep issues and parent depression drove parental exhaustion, while communication and behavior difficulties hindered community access and childcare.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Autistic Women's Experience of Motherhood: A Qualitative Analysis of Reddit.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic mothers described motherhood as shaped by sensory overload, masking, and stigma, but also by strengths and peer support. Online replies offered validation, advice, and solutions such as ear plugs, early bedtimes, and breaks.
• SLPCohort2025Infant Social Attention Associated with Elevated Likelihood for Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Multi-Method Comparison.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEye tracking lost more usable looking data than manual coding, but both showed infants at elevated autism likelihood looked less at social videos and did not increase social attention with age.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025Preparing to "Live a Life of Possibilities": Experiences of Healthcare Providers Readying Autistic Adolescents and Their Families for Independent Driving.Journal of autism and developmental disordersProviders felt unprepared to guide autistic teens toward driving due to time constraints and lack of resources. They struggled to balance adolescent independence with caregiver anxiety. Multidisciplinary teams and community referrals were identified as necessary supports for these complex family conversations.
• OTSLPOther2025Reliability, Validity and Acceptability of the PEDI-CAT with ASD Scales for Australian Children and Youth on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe PEDI-CAT (ASD) is reliable and user-friendly, but it misses key areas like community participation and environmental barriers. It scores higher on social skills than the original version, which risks underestimating support needs and funding eligibility.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2024Identifying autistic children: Priorities for research arising from a systematic review of parents' experiences of the assessment process.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents consistently reported that the assessment process was confusing, lengthy, and often felt hierarchical. They valued respectful, clear communication and being treated as experts on their child. Many felt overwhelmed by information during feedback, highlighting a need for structured, supportive interactions rather than just clinical data.
• SLPCohort2024Early trajectories and moderators of autistic language profiles: A longitudinal study in preschoolers.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceBy 4.4 years, autistic preschoolers formed three distinct language groups: minimally verbal, language impaired, and language unimpaired. Early delay was common; language impaired children had higher verbal scores when they also had two-year ESDM.
• SLPSystematic Review2024Research methods at the intersection of gender diversity and autism: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceResearch on autism and gender diversity has grown but remains methodologically flawed. Most studies lacked validated diagnostic tools, used inconsistent definitions, and failed to account for confounding factors like clinic-seeking behaviour. Clinicians should interpret prevalence rates with caution.
• SLPSurvey2025Exploring Emotional Dysregulation and Avoidance with Caregivers as the Mechanisms Linking Social Communication Understanding and Aggressive Behaviours.Journal of autism and developmental disordersLower social communication understanding was associated with more aggression in autistic and non-autistic adolescents, with emotional dysregulation and caregiver-adolescent avoidance also linked to aggression. The links ran both ways, so this does not show what causes what.
• SLPSurvey2025Healthcare Students' Perceptions and Attitudes Towards Peers with Autism Spectrum Disorders.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHealthcare students held more negative attitudes toward peers with autism-like behaviors when the diagnosis was hidden. Knowing the label 'high-functioning autism' led to more positive responses than seeing the same behaviors without explanation. Personal familiarity with autism did not improve attitudes.
• SLPOther2025Testing the Labeling Effect in Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children did not show the typical labeling effect. When two objects had the same name, they did not expect them to share hidden properties any more than when the objects had different names. This suggests labels may not guide category formation in autism as they do in typical development.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Associations between Social Experiences and Psychological Health for Autistic Youth with Low IQ.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor autistic youth with low IQ, having enough social activity matters more than how much. Higher victimization linked to lower quality of life and depression. Time with friends was the most common unmet need. Being ignored was frequent, but victimization was the stronger predictor of poor mental health.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Development of a Self-Report Measure of Prediction in Daily Life: The Prediction-Related Experiences Questionnaire.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults reported greater difficulty predicting daily events than non-autistic adults, and these self-reports matched their performance on rhythm tasks. A new 19-item questionnaire captures these prediction challenges across social, sensory, and motor domains.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Trends in the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder in California: Disparities by Sociodemographic Factors and Region Between 1990-2018.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutism diagnosis rates in California have shifted from affluent, White communities to lower-income, Hispanic and Black communities. Girls are now diagnosed at a ratio closer to 3:1 with boys. Clinicians should expect rising referrals from underserved regions and younger patients presenting with later-diagnosed profiles.
• OTSLPOther2025The Role of Everyday Executive Function in Observed Social Symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEveryday executive function problems predicted specific social difficulties in autistic youth. Behavior regulation issues linked to all social domains. Cognitive regulation affected awareness and communication. Emotional regulation affected motivation and communication. Sex predicted communication and cognition scores, with females rated more impaired.
• SLPSurvey2025Autistic Traits and Psychosocial Predictors of Depressive Symptoms.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigh autistic traits link to depression only through a chain of low social confidence, low social motivation, and loneliness. Once these three factors are accounted for, autistic traits alone show no direct link to depressive symptoms.
• SLPSurvey2025A Measurement Invariance Analysis of the Anxiety Scale for Autism-Adults in a Sample of Autistic and Non-Autistic Men and Women.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe autism-specific anxiety scale can be compared between cis-gender autistic men and women, and between cis-gender non-autistic men and women, but not between autistic and non-autistic adults. Autistic women scored higher than autistic men.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2025'Nothing About Us, Without Us': Research Priorities for Autistic Girls, Women and Gender Diverse People in Australia.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic girls, women and gender diverse people in Australia prioritise research on trauma, adult support, and sensory needs over biological studies. They reject traditional therapy that ignores sensory overload and ask for clinicians who listen without gaslighting.
• OTSLPQualitative2024'Autism is the Arena and OCD is the Lion': Autistic adults' experiences of co-occurring obsessive-compulsive disorder and repetitive restricted behaviours and interests.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults describe repetitive behaviours as intrinsic and soothing, while OCD feels like an unwanted intruder that exploits routines and interests. This distinction helps therapists differentiate symptoms, but the study reports experiences, not treatment outcomes.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Development of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors from 2-19: Stability and Change in Repetitive Sensorimotor, Insistence on Sameness, and Verbal Behaviors in a Longitudinal Study of Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersRestricted and repetitive behaviors in autism do not follow a single path. Most children showed declining repetitive motor behaviors, while insistence on sameness often increased then plateaued or declined. Verbal repetitive behaviors surged as language developed, then stabilized.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Physical Activity for Anxiety for Autistic People: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPhysical activity interventions show mixed results for anxiety in autistic people. While some studies found reductions in anxiety symptoms, others showed no significant difference compared to control groups. Evidence is limited by small sample sizes and varied measurement methods.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025The Association Between Gastrointestinal Issues and Psychometric Scores in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delays, Down Syndrome, and Typical Development.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFrequent gastrointestinal issues, especially constipation, are linked to lower adaptive skills and more maladaptive behaviors in children with autism and developmental delays. These symptoms were not associated with test scores in children with Down syndrome. Clinicians should screen for GI problems when behavior worsens.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Deliberate and Self-Conscious Adaptation of Eye-Contact by Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults describe eye-contact as a conscious, effortful task that competes with thinking and listening. They often look away to process information or use strategies to appear 'normal', which they find exhausting. Diagnosis or feedback often triggered this self-awareness, leading to pressure to conform rather than natural change.
• SLPOther2025Generalisation of Social Communication Skills by Autistic Children During Play-Based Assessments Across Home, School and an Unfamiliar Research Setting.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic children generalised social communication skills from home to school and to an unfamiliar researcher. This transfer was stronger from the parent than the teaching assistant. Age, IQ and repetitive behaviours did not affect this generalisation.
• SLPOther2025Effects of School-Based Neurofeedback Training on Attention in Students with Autism and Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersStudents with autism or intellectual disability who received school-based neurofeedback showed better sustained attention to simple stimuli than controls. However, there was no improvement in selective attention or attention in complex tasks. The benefits appear limited to basic focus.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Effects of Motor Intervention Program on Academic Skills, Motor Skills and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA 12-week motor program improved gross motor skills, pre-academic concepts like colors and numbers, and social cooperation in autistic preschoolers. The intervention group showed significantly lower autistic index scores and fewer behavioral problems compared to the control group.
• SLPOther2024Time is of the essence: Age at autism diagnosis, sex assigned at birth, and psychopathology.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn autistic youth, later diagnosis was associated with more caregiver-reported anxiety and depression in both samples. In the clinic sample, people assigned female at birth were diagnosed later, and later diagnosis was linked to their symptoms.
• SLPCohort2024Canonical babbling trajectories across the first year of life in autism and typical development.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCanonical babbling development was delayed in male autistic infants but not in female autistic infants. Overall differences between groups were small, with typical development remaining robust regardless of autism status or socioeconomic factors.
• OTSLPQualitative2024Being able to be myself: Understanding autonomy and autonomy-support from the perspectives of autistic adults with intellectual disabilities.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults with intellectual disabilities defined autonomy as being themselves. They wanted support through choice and control, communicating in their own way, and safe environments. Autistic facilitators were key to interpreting nonverbal cues and building trust.
• SLPSurvey2024'It's not always textbook social anxiety': A survey-based study investigating the nature of social anxiety and experiences of therapy in autistic people.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults with social anxiety often feel their fears are justified by past trauma and discrimination, not just irrational thoughts. Most found standard CBT unhelpful because therapists did not respect neurodivergence or adapt the approach to individual needs.
• SLPCohort2025Longitudinal Transition Between Regular and Special Education in Autistic Children: Predictors and Policy Effects.Journal of autism and developmental disordersDutch inclusive education policy did not reduce special school placements for autistic children; the proportion even slightly increased. Placement was predicted by lower IQ, co-occurring conditions, behavioral problems, and being male. Transitions were rare and driven by age and IQ.
• SLPOther2025Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Social Communication Questionnaire in Rural Kenya.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Kiswahili Social Communication Questionnaire accurately screens for autism in Kenyan children. At a cut-off of 15, it identified 86.7% of autistic children with no false positives against typically developing peers. It also distinguished autism from other neurodevelopmental disabilities, though less sharply.
• SLPQualitative2025Improving Emergency Department Care for Suicidality in Autism: Perspectives from Autistic Youth, Caregivers, and Clinicians.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth and caregivers reported that rushed, abstract questioning and sensory overload in emergency departments hindered disclosure of suicide risk. They recommended concrete language, visual supports, and predictable routines to build trust, though ED clinicians noted time constraints make these changes difficult to implement.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Adverse Childhood Experiences and Health Outcomes Among Transition-Age Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTransition-age autistic youth report far more adverse childhood experiences than non-autistic peers, especially bullying. Higher ACE counts link to poor general health, anxiety, depression, and physical conditions. Screening for community-based adversity like bullying is essential to identify those at risk.
• PTOTSLPCase-Control2025The Relationship Between Fatigue and Quality of Life in the Turkish Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers of children with autism reported significantly greater fatigue impact on their daily functioning and lower quality of life than mothers of typically developing children. Their own perceived quality of life and physical mobility were the strongest predictors of this fatigue, rather than how disruptive they found their child's specific behaviors.
• OTSLPCohort2025Mind the Gap: Executive Function Is Associated with the Discrepancy Between Cognitive and Adaptive Functioning in Autistic Children Without Cognitive Delay.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEmotional control problems were linked to a larger gap between autistic children's cognitive ability and everyday social skills, even when cognition was average. The study was cross-sectional, so it cannot show that improving emotional control would close that gap.
• OTSLPCohort2025Predicting Intervention Use in Youth with Rare Variants in Autism-Associated Genes.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYouth with rare autism-associated genetic variants mostly receive speech and occupational therapy, but few receive behavioral therapy. Younger age and lower IQ predict occupational therapy use, while formal ASD diagnosis predicts behavioral therapy. Co-occurring conditions predict lower speech therapy intensity and higher use of alternative therapies.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2025MAGEL2 (patho-)physiology and Schaaf-Yang syndrome.Developmental medicine and child neurologySchaaf-Yang syndrome is diagnosed by a paternally inherited MAGEL2 variant and can cause hypotonia, feeding and breathing problems, joint contractures, developmental delay, autism, and endocrine dysfunction. Treatment evidence is limited.
• SLPOther2025The role of circadian rhythms and sleep in the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: New evidence from bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceGenetic liability to a later peak of daily activity was linked to higher odds of ASD and ADHD. ADHD was also potentially linked to more night-time sleep episodes. This is genetic evidence about diagnosis risk, not proof that changing sleep treats either condition.
• SLPSurvey2025Should Parents Only Use One Language with Their Autistic Children? The Relations Between Multilingualism, Children's Social Skills, and Parent-Child Communication.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents who communicated with their autistic child in a foreign language rather than their mother tongue felt significantly less comfortable and authentic. However, the language used at home did not affect the children's social skills, suggesting parents should choose the language they feel most natural using.
• SLPQualitative2025Autistic adults' perspectives and experiences of diagnostic assessments that include play across the lifespan.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults said play may help diagnostic assessments, but it should not decide diagnosis alone. Tailor play use to age, gender and masking, ask about experiences, and describe differences and strengths rather than deficits.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2024The meaning of autistic movements.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults describe movement as a way to regulate senses and emotions. Stimming and exercise serve the same functions but face stigma. Clinicians should explore how patients use movement for well-being rather than suppressing it.
• SLPCohort2024Associations Among Race, Ethnicity, and Clinical Profiles of Young Children Evaluated for Autism in the Primary Care Setting.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPLatine children referred for autism evaluation were more likely to receive an autism diagnosis than non-Latine White children. They also showed lower developmental and adaptive functioning scores. This suggests current referral pathways may miss less impaired children or reflect systemic biases in assessment.
• OTSLPCohort2024Description and predictors of self-determination in males and females with fragile X syndrome on the verge of adulthood.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRCaregivers rated young adults with fragile X syndrome as having low ability to set and pursue their own goals, but many chances at home. School chances varied. Lower everyday skills and poorer social communication were linked to less goal-setting ability and fewer school chances.
• SLPSurvey2024Perceptions of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder on How Health Care Providers Address Sexual Health.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPYoung adults with autism reported less sexual health counseling and abuse screening from providers than adults without autism, despite similar access to care and comfort discussing these topics.
• SLPCohort2025The long-lasting benefits of pre-kindergarten education on autistic children's working memory development.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic children who attended pre-K showed higher auditory working memory scores from spring of first grade through spring of third grade. In all children, pre-K was linked to higher scores at kindergarten entry and spring of first grade, but not later.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Trajectories of positive affect in autistic individuals during the transition to adulthood.Autism : the international journal of research and practicePositive affect in autistic adults followed varied paths, not just one. Lower positive affect linked to more autism features and less daily living skill. Higher positive affect tied to work, friends, and independent living. Caregiver reports matched self-reports less as adults gained independence.
• SLPCohort2024The relationship between distress tolerance and behavioral activation on anxiety and depression symptomatology in autistic youth: Leveraging self and caregiver perspectives.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn autistic adolescents, lower distress tolerance and behavioral activation were associated with more severe anxiety and depression. Sex differences emerged, with adolescents assigned female at birth showing lower distress tolerance and higher anxiety. These findings are cross-sectional and preliminary.