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 43 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPOther2024Effectiveness of a 5-day adapted swim instruction program for children with disabilities.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesMost children with disabilities improved their swim skill level after a 5-day adapted camp. Fearfulness stopped progress for many autistic children, while those with Down syndrome needed more practice time. Older children with Down syndrome showed greater improvement.
• SLPOther2025Autism screening and diagnostic outcomes among toddlers born preterm.Developmental medicine and child neurologyScreen positive results were most common in toddlers born extremely preterm, and autism diagnoses were higher in that group than in very preterm, moderately preterm, and full-term groups.
• SLPOther2024The effect of volatility in linguistic input on prediction behavior in autistic toddlers.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn toddlers, when word pairings suddenly changed, autistic and non-autistic children did not differ in how looking changed from before to after the switch. This did not support learning driven only by the newest input.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Characterizing associations between emotion dysregulation, anxiety, and repetitive behaviors in autistic youth with intellectual disability.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn 150 autistic youth with intellectual disability, higher anxiety predicted greater intensity of all four repetitive behavior types. Emotion dysregulation specifically predicted more insistence on sameness at high levels. Youth with no words showed more restricted interests than those with single words.
• SLPOther2024Characterizing social communication among minimally verbal children with autism: An application of item response theory.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchReaching for an object is the easiest social gesture for minimally verbal autistic children. Showing an object is the hardest. Joint attention gestures are generally more difficult than requesting behaviors. This hierarchy helps clinicians select initial intervention targets for children with limited communication skills.
• SLPQualitative2025A multi-constituent qualitative examination of facilitators and barriers to caregiver coaching for autistic children in publicly funded early intervention.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers and providers agreed that coaching succeeds when expectations align and relationships are strong. Providers saw caregiver stress as a barrier, but caregivers did not, instead citing the burden of coordinating services. Telehealth discomfort also hindered engagement during the pandemic.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Application of the international classification of functioning, disability, and health in autism and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A scoping review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAcross 78 studies, the ICF framework helped clinicians map autism and ADHD functioning to daily life contexts like school and work. Most interventions still ignored environmental barriers, focusing only on changing the patient. Using ICF Core Sets can shift assessment toward participation and context.
• OTSLPQualitative2025A critical hit: Dungeons and Dragons as a buff for autistic people.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults described tabletop role-playing as a safe space where they could connect without masking. The game's structure and shared interest reduced social anxiety, allowing friendships to form and enabling emotional exploration through characters.
• SLPOther2024Training and Sustaining: Training and Learning Collaborative Outcomes Across a Statewide Network for Early Autism Diagnosis.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPPrimary care clinicians who completed an intensive autism diagnostic training program showed significant gains in autism knowledge and diagnostic competency. Most participants achieved required scoring agreement on autism screening tools, and high attendance rates sustained engagement in a longitudinal learning collaborative.
• SLPCohort2025Trajectories of psychological distress for Australian fathers parenting a child on the autism spectrum: Evidence from early childhood to adolescence.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMost Australian fathers of autistic children reported low distress over 10 years, but about 16% had persistent increasing distress. Fathers' own ongoing health problems and interparental conflict were associated with this high-risk group.
• SLPCohort2025Can combining existing behavioral tools improve identification of infants at elevated likelihood of autism in the first year of life?Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAt 12 months, 19 of 20 infants with both high observation-scale scores and low Mullen scores were later classified with autism or another developmental concern, but few infants met this combined rule.
• OTSLPOther2025Effects of autism spectrum disorder on parents labour market: Productivity loss and policy evaluation in Kazakhstan.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMothers of children with autism in Kazakhstan face high rates of job loss, especially if the child has a disability. New government subsidies reduce the financial penalty for these mothers, but do not help those without a disability label.
• OTSLPQualitative2025(Re)thinking about self-harm and autism: Findings from an online qualitative study on self-harm in autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults in online forums described self-harm as tied to sensory overload, meltdowns, and harmful stimming, not only conventional cutting. They said professionals misread their communication, making help-seeking unsafe.
• SLPCohort2024Transitive inference in a clinical childhood sample with a focus on autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchChildren with autism solved non-verbal reasoning puzzles as accurately as their peers, but responded more slowly. This speed-accuracy tradeoff suggests a different cognitive strategy rather than a deficit. The study lacked a true control group, so these findings are preliminary.
• SLPOther2025Atypical vocal imitation of speech and song in autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from Mandarin speakers.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMandarin-speaking autistic children copied timing and pitch shape less accurately than non-autistic peers, especially in speech. Overall pitch height did not differ between groups. In song, timing was less accurate, while pitch height was not.
• SLPQualitative2025Understanding the experiences of receiving and providing maternity care for autistic adults: A Multi-perspectival Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic mothers described maternity care as overwhelming, especially bright wards, noise and physical examinations. They valued continuity, clear explanations and a quieter, darker space, but midwives felt system pressures made this hard.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Characterizing self-reported physical activity before and during a subsequent pregnancy among parents in a familial autism cohort.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMost parents of autistic children miss exercise targets, dropping to under 10% during pregnancy. While child autism traits did not predict overall activity levels, mothers of children with higher trait scores were nearly three times as likely to stop vigorous exercise when pregnant.
• SLPCohort2024Task-based functional neural correlates of social cognition across autism and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.Molecular autismBrain scans did not separate autism, schizophrenia spectrum disorders, and controls. But across all groups, better social cognition scores tracked with stronger activation in social brain regions during an empathic accuracy task. The empathy task, not the imitation task, may work best for tracking brain changes in trials.
• SLPCohort2024Psychometric properties of two ADHD rating scales used in children with ADHD and intellectual disability.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRADHD rating scales remain reliable for children with intellectual disability. However, parent ratings of hyperactivity are influenced by autism traits and age, potentially leading to misdiagnosis. Teacher ratings were more consistent across these factors. Clinicians should interpret parent-reported activity levels with caution.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Barriers to healthcare predict reduced health-related quality of life in autistic adults without intellectual disability.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults in Germany reported significantly lower health-related quality of life than the general population. The number of barriers they experienced in accessing healthcare was the strongest predictor of poor mental quality of life and a key predictor of poor physical quality of life.
• OTSLPQualitative2025Parental experiences of raising an autistic child in Ireland: A qualitative thematic analysis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents found navigating support services more stressful than caring for their child. They relied on peer groups and partners to cope. They appreciated individual therapists but felt parent training courses substituted for direct care. Lack of central post-diagnosis information forced many to pay privately.
• SLPOther2025Comparative study of emotional facial expression recognition among Prader-Willi syndrome subtypes.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRThe genetic subtypes did not differ in non-contextualised emotion recognition. Children with Prader-Willi syndrome were slower and less accurate than controls, and some contextualised situations showed slower responses in the mUPD subtype.
• OTSLPSurvey2025Comparing eating and mealtime experiences in families of children with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and dual diagnosis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFamilies of children with autism, ADHD, or both reported more chaotic mealtimes, higher food fussiness, and greater caregiver stress than families of neurotypical children. The dual diagnosis group faced the most intense combination of these difficulties, suggesting a need for family-wide support rather than just feeding therapy.
• OTSLPOther2024"I'm Trying to Reach Out, I'm Trying to Find My People": A Mixed-Methods Investigation of the Link Between Sensory Differences, Loneliness, and Mental Health in Autistic and Nonautistic Adults.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults reported more loneliness, distress, anxiety, depression, and sensory differences than nonautistic adults. But loneliness was linked to distress similarly in both groups. Qualitative accounts described practical barriers, yearning for connection, and needing solitude after overwhelm.
• OTSLPCase-Control2024Changes in Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions from Preschool to Adolescence: Considerations for Precision Monitoring and Treatment Planning.Journal of autism and developmental disorders85.5% of children diagnosed with autism in preschool still had it by adolescence. Children with autism also gained ADHD, DD, sensory integration and speech-language conditions more often than children with other developmental or mental health diagnoses.
• OTSLPPilot2025The development, feasibility and acceptability of Empower-Autism: A new psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic programme for caregivers of children recently diagnosed with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceCaregivers of recently diagnosed autistic children found a group mixing autism psychoeducation and ACT feasible: 14 of 19 in-person attended at least 3 of 5, 8 of 10 online attended at least 6 of 10, and satisfaction was high, but content felt too much.
• SLPSystematic Review2025Is there evidence that playing games promotes social skills training for autistic children and youth?Autism : the international journal of research and practiceGame-based interventions improved social skills in autistic children, but evidence is weak because many studies lacked pre- and post-measures and did not clearly define which skills were being taught or why.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Clinical utility and psychometric properties of tools for early detection of developmental concerns and disability in young children: A scoping review.Developmental medicine and child neurology67 validated tools are recommended for screening and assessing children from birth to 5 years 11 months. The ASQ-3 is best multi-domain screen; GMA is strongest early CP screen; SACS-R is best autism screen.
• SLPCohort20243-generation family histories of mental, neurologic, cardiometabolic, birth defect, asthma, allergy, and autoimmune conditions associated with autism: An open-source catalog of findings.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutism risk was linked to family histories of mental disorders across all relatives, and to nonmental conditions like asthma or diabetes specifically in mothers and maternal relatives. This catalog offers therapists a reference for identifying associated familial health patterns.
• SLPCohort2024The use of formal language as a strong sign of verbal autistic children in diglossic communities: The case of Arabic.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn Kuwaiti kindergartens, children who used formal Arabic outside lessons were often classified as autistic, and greater use of formal Arabic went with higher autism severity. This is a possible language marker, not a tested diagnostic tool.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Journeys towards accessing an autism diagnosis and associated support: A survey of families of autistic children in Ecuador.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFamilies of autistic children in Ecuador face fragmented care, paying out of pocket for diagnosis and relying heavily on the internet for support. They urgently need clear diagnostic pathways and evidence-based information. Clinicians must recognise that families are proactive but lack professional guidance and accessible services.
• SLPSurvey2025Short report: Prison-reported rates of autism in female prisons in England.Autism : the international journal of research and practicePrison records show 4.78% of female prisoners in England are autistic, compared to 0.35% in the general female population. Rates varied widely between prisons, from 0% to 11.19%, reflecting inconsistent recording practices rather than true prevalence differences.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Clinician-caregiver informant discrepancy is associated with sex, diagnosis age, and intervention use among autistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceClinicians rated boys higher than caregivers, but rated girls lower than caregivers. This discrepancy linked to earlier diagnosis and more intervention hours. Therapists should note that girls may appear less impaired in clinic than at home due to camouflaging.
• PTOTSLPOther2024A 3D approach to understanding heterogeneity in early developing autisms.Molecular autismData-driven clustering of early development scores splits autism into two distinct types. Type I shows profound delays and slower growth in language and motor skills. Type II shows relative strengths and faster development. This distinction holds across independent datasets and predicts different brain biology.
• PTOTSLPOther2024Phenome-wide profiling identifies genotype-phenotype associations in Phelan-McDermid syndrome using family-sourced data from an international registry.Molecular autismChildren with larger 22q13 deletions in Phelan-McDermid syndrome had more severe motor delays, feeding problems, and medical issues like kidney defects. However, they showed less verbal speech, self-care, and social interaction. They were also less likely to have autism or ADHD diagnoses than those with smaller deletions.
• SLPSystematic Review2024Resilience and strengths in the Black autism community in the United States: A scoping review.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchBlack caregivers of autistic children rely heavily on advocacy, informal family networks, and spirituality to navigate systemic barriers. No studies in this review centered the voices of Black autistic adults themselves, leaving their specific strengths and resilience strategies completely unknown.
• SLPCohort2024Cultivating the imagination: Caregiver input during pretend play with toddlers at elevated likelihood for autism.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchCaregiver talk about pretend play increased from 18 to 36 months, with more references to objects than self. At 36 months, caregivers of toddlers diagnosed with autism used less pretend play talk and matched their child's actions less often than other groups.
• SLPOther2025Autistic individuals benefit from gestures during degraded speech comprehension.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceWhen speech was hard to hear, iconic gestures improved verb recognition for autistic and neurotypical adults equally. Gestures were not tested as a treatment here, but they helped recognition when speech was degraded.
• SLPOther2025Autistic people differ from non-autistic people subjectively, but not objectively in their reasoning.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults reported relying less on intuition than non-autistic adults, but this did not match their test performance. When groups were matched for cognitive ability, there was no objective difference in reasoning style or moral decision-making.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Parent concerns prior to an assessment of autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents' concerns before an autism assessment vary widely. Speech and language issues were the most common concern across all studies, ranging from 27% to 84%. However, social concerns were much more frequent in older children, while parents of children later diagnosed with other conditions focused more on behaviour and medical issues.
• SLPCohort2024Factors Associated with Caregivers' Decisions to Pursue a Diagnostic Evaluation After a Positive Autism Screen in Primary Care.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEven when barriers like cost and language were removed, Black families were less likely to pursue autism evaluation after a positive screen. Spanish-speaking families had high uptake. Child sex, income, and screen severity did not predict who followed up.
• SLPCohort2024Idiosyncratic pupil regulation in autistic children.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic children showed more idiosyncratic pupil responses to movies than typically developing children. This variability was consistent across repeated viewings and was not explained by differences in gaze or baseline pupil size.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2025A systematic review: Which psycho-social-environmental factors do autistic students identify as being important for positive experiences in mainstream secondary school?Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic students prioritise understanding from adults, peer acceptance, and agency over sensory needs. They benefit from predictable environments, shared interests, and tools to communicate limits. Support should be tailored to fluctuating needs and respect boundaries to avoid negative peer judgement.
• SLPOther2025Exploring the effectiveness of the Pragmatic Intervention Programme (PICP) with children with autism spectrum disorder and developmental language disorder: A non-randomised controlled trial.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAfter 24 one-hour speech therapy sessions, the 22 children in the intervention group with autism or developmental language disorder were rated by parents and educators as meeting at least two of three individual pragmatic goals. Parent and educator reports and language scores also improved.
• OTSLPQualitative2025'I wouldn't want one or the other': Understanding parents' preferences for direct support or parent coaching for young autistic children.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceParents valued both direct therapy and parent coaching but preferred direct support when forced to choose. They found coaching overwhelming or stressful, while direct therapy relieved them of the pressure to deliver treatment themselves and appeared to benefit the child more.
• SLPCase Report2024A demonstration of incorporating discriminative stimuli into an AAC device during functional communication training.Augmentative and alternative communication (Baltimore, Md. : 1985)Adding colored icons to an AAC app helped one non-speaking teen with severe behaviors distinguish when requests would be honored. He reduced aggression and increased correct requests, but this was a single case and requires more testing before generalizing.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Developmental trajectories in infants and pre-school children with Neurofibromatosis 1.Molecular autismChildren with NF1 showed slower cognitive and motor development from 5 months, with clear differences by 24 months. Autism traits were high at 24 months but dropped at 36 months, likely due to remote testing. Screen and refer for intervention by age 2.
• SLPSurvey2025'Just knowing it's there gives me comfort': Exploring the benefits and challenges of autism alert cards.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMany participants described the autism alert card as helping them explain needs without speaking and as a safety net, while others faced disbelief, stigma or dismissal, especially from police and healthcare staff.
• SLPCohort2024Acoustic features of vocalizations in typically developing and autistic infants in the first year.Research in developmental disabilitiesInfants later diagnosed with autism produced cries, whimpers, and protophones that sounded acoustically identical to typically developing infants. However, unlike typically developing infants, those with autism did not adjust their vocal pitch or duration in response to caregiver speech.
• OTSLPCase-Control2024Prenatal exposure to hypoxic risk conditions in autistic and neurotypical youth: Associated ventricular differences, sleep disturbance, and sensory processing.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAutistic youth with prenatal hypoxic risk conditions had significantly larger third ventricles than those without. This structural difference correlated with more sleep disturbances and sensory overresponsivity, suggesting a potential biological link between early oxygen deprivation and specific clinical symptoms.