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 48 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Autism - A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersEvidence for biologically based CAM in autism is inconsistent. Gluten-free and casein-free diets showed no benefit, while vitamin and mineral supplements helped only when deficiencies existed. Some nutraceuticals like probiotics and omega-3s showed mixed or positive effects on specific symptoms.
• SLPRCT2025Adaptation of COMPASS for use in Autism-Specific Schools in Australia: A Cluster Randomized Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdapting the COMPASS goal-setting programme for Australian autism schools improved student progress on individualized goals by the end of the year. The intervention group reached higher goal attainment scores than the usual care group, though no difference was seen at midterm.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2025The Effect of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions and Aided AAC on the Language Development of Children on the Autism Spectrum with Minimal Speech: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersNaturalistic interventions help children with autism speak, but adding aided AAC boosts language growth further. The benefit was small to medium in direct comparisons. Introduce AAC early rather than waiting for speech to emerge, and ensure the device fits the child's specific needs.
• SLPCohort2025Screening Options in Autism Telediagnosis: Examination of TAP, M-CHAT-R, and DCI Concordance and Predictive Value in a Telediagnostic Model.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe Developmental Check-In predicted autism diagnosis better than the M-CHAT-R in a telediagnostic model. Its Talk and Social subdomains were the strongest predictors, raising the probability of identifying autism from .50 to .76 compared to .66 for the M-CHAT-R.
• OTSLPSystematic Review2025'A certain magic' - autistic adults' experiences of interacting with other autistic people and its relation to Quality of Life: A systematic review and thematic meta-synthesis.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults describe connecting with other autistic people as relieving and effortless, often contrasting with exhausting interactions elsewhere. This contact supports identity and well-being, but it is not a universal fix and does not replace specialist mental health care.
• SLPOther2025Developmental Assessment in Children at Higher Likelihood for Developmental Delays - Comparison of Parent Report and Direct Assessment.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 167 toddlers referred for delay, a standardized parent interview was strongly related to direct cognitive testing. At a cutoff of 70, it caught 0.83 of children diagnosed with global delay; at 69, it caught 0.80 of children with cognitive scores of 70 or below.
• SLPCohort2025The Role of Implementation Climate in Moderating Educator Use of Evidence-Based Practices and Outcomes for Autistic Students.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSchools with a stronger climate for using evidence-based practices saw better implementation by educators. This climate mattered most for providers with less hands-on autism experience. In high-poverty districts, more resources for these practices were linked to better math scores for autistic students.
• SLPOther2025Implementing Pivotal Response Treatment to Teach Question Asking to High School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAll three students increased their use of taught questions during PRT. However, only one educator reached the required fidelity standard. This suggests the intervention helped, but the training was insufficient to ensure consistent implementation by school staff.
• OTSLPRCT2025Building Better Bridges: Outcomes of a Community-Partnered New School Transition Intervention for Students on the Autism Spectrum.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregiver coaching improved school transition ratings for students on the autism spectrum in under-resourced schools. Teachers reported significantly higher transition success with coaching. Caregiver ratings showed a non-significant trend. Self-efficacy increased with coaching, but worry decreased similarly in both groups.
• SLPOther2026Brief Report: Relationships Between Caregiver-Reported Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersToddlers with caregiver-reported autism behaviors plus ADHD or externalizing problems had higher M-CHAT-R/F scores. Adding internalizing problems did not show the same pattern. A positive screen still needs comprehensive assessment.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Rethinking the Accessibility of Hearing Assessments for Children with Developmental Disabilities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with developmental disabilities were nearly four times more likely than peers to miss gold-standard hearing assessments within three months. This gap was widest for those with cerebral palsy or multiple diagnoses, leaving many children undiagnosed and unable to access hearing technology or early intervention.
• OTSLPCohort2025Completion of Upper Secondary Mainstream School in Autistic Students in Sweden.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic students in Sweden were far less likely to finish upper secondary school than their peers. The gap was largest for autistic girls and those with ADHD. This suggests current educational support systems are failing to meet the needs of this population.
• OTSLPOther2025Game Changer: Exploring the Role of Board Games in the Lives of Autistic People.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults described board games as a social lubricant that removes the pressure of small talk. The clear rules and shared focus on the game allow them to interact authentically without masking, helping them form friendships and reduce anxiety.
• SLPPilot2025Integration of Family Navigation into ECHO Autism for Pediatric Primary Care in Underserved Communities.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPediatric primary care clinicians in underserved Virginia areas reported greater confidence in autism screening, referral, and managing co-occurring conditions after a 12-month videoconference training with family navigation. Families also received navigation help, but child and service-access outcomes were not measured.
• SLPCohort2025Sex Differences in the Broad Autism Phenotype: Insights from the Australian Biobank.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFathers showed more aloofness and rigidity, but mothers had more social and pragmatic difficulties when sex-specific norms were applied. Female siblings showed higher social cognition difficulties than males. Parental traits did not predict autism severity in diagnosed children, but maternal traits predicted sibling traits.
• SLPSystematic Review2025Racial Differences in the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersUS autism prevalence has shifted by race. Once highest in White children, it is now higher in Black, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander children born after 2010. This reflects better access and diagnosis in minority groups, not necessarily a change in underlying rates.
• SLPOther2025Stability and Validity of Self-Reported Depression and Anxiety in Autistic Youth.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic youth give consistent self-reports of anxiety and depression over two weeks. However, standard screening cutoffs are often too high. Lower thresholds are needed to catch cases, especially for social anxiety and depression, though some scales fail to detect generalized anxiety.
• PTOTSLPOther2025Relationship Between Obesity and Intellectual/Developmental Disability in an Ohio Telepsychiatry Clinic: A Retrospective Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities seen in a telepsychiatry clinic, 52.4% were obese. Obesity prevalence was highest in those with autism alone and lowest in those with profound intellectual disability. This association does not prove cause.
• SLPCase-Control2025Spontaneous Generation of Unconventional Language and Its Link with Grammatical Performance in Chinese Adults With and Without ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCantonese-speaking autistic adults produced more unconventional language and shorter sentences than controls, but their unusual word choices tracked with speech disfluencies rather than grammatical errors. This suggests their language patterns reflect processing effort, not a lack of grammatical knowledge.
• SLPCohort2025Performance of the Social Responsiveness Scale-2 for the Assessment of Autistic Behaviors in a Sample of Canadian Preschool-Aged Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCanadian preschoolers scored significantly lower on the SRS-2 than the US children used to set its norms. Because the Canadian sample was more educated and White, using US norms may underestimate autism traits in Canadian children, leading to missed diagnoses.
• OTSLPSurvey2025Examining an integrated path model of psychological and sociocultural predictors of camouflaging in autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceFear of negative evaluation and past victimisation strongly predicted camouflaging. Unexpectedly, higher self-esteem and a stronger autistic identity also linked to more camouflaging, suggesting some adults mask strategically to access opportunities rather than solely out of shame.
• SLPCase-Control2025Narrative Ability in Autism and First-Degree Relatives.Journal of autism and developmental disordersUnaffected siblings of autistic people narrated a wordless picture book with fewer references to characters' feelings and causal links than controls. These siblings also omitted the story setting more often. Parents showed no such differences. Narrative profiles appear distinct in siblings even without a diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Developmental Impacts of Early Sensory Patterns on School-Age Adaptive, Maladaptive, and Participation Outcomes in Autistic and Non-autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren whose sensory sensitivity increased during preschool had lower adaptive skills and more anxiety at school age. This pattern also predicted less participation in classroom and community activities. These links were stronger in autistic children than in non-autistic peers.
• OTSLPOther2025Camouflaging in Autistic Adults is Modulated by Autistic and Neurotypical Characteristics of Interaction Partners.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults reported camouflaging more when interacting with other autistic people than with neurotypical people. This contradicts the common assumption that masking is primarily a survival strategy to fit into neurotypical society, suggesting it may instead reflect a motivation to build relationships with autistic peers.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Prior Diagnoses and Age of Diagnosis in Children Later Diagnosed with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBlack children were diagnosed with autism about six months earlier than White children. White children had higher rates of prior diagnoses like ADHD and anxiety. More prior diagnoses predicted later autism diagnosis. These findings contradict expected disparities in access to care.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026Reacting, Retreating, Regulating, and Reconnecting: How Autistic Adults in the United Kingdom Use Time Alone for Well-Being.Autism in adulthoodAutistic adults described time alone as a recovery strategy from sensory and social overwhelm, not a lack of social interest. They used specific sanctuary spaces and intense interests to regulate before reconnecting. Individual needs varied widely, challenging assumptions that minimalist rooms are universally calming.
• OTSLPQualitative2026Neurodivergence and the Rabbit Hole of Extremism: Uncovering Lived Experience.Autism in adulthoodAutistic people who joined far-right groups described trauma and rejection, not autism itself, as the driver. They found belonging, structure, and validation in hate groups that mainstream society and services failed to provide. Clinical care must address these unmet needs to reduce vulnerability to recruitment.
• OTSLPOther2026Does Camouflaging Cause Reduced Quality of Life? A Co-Twin Control Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn twin pairs, the sibling who reported more camouflaging had lower quality of life than their co-twin. This held even in identical twins, suggesting the link isn't just due to shared genetics or environment.
• SLPCohort2026Modification and Validation of an Autism Observational Assessment Including ADOS-2® for Use with Children with Visual Impairment.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA modified autism assessment using touch and sound instead of vision accurately identified ASD risk in blind and visually impaired children. It distinguished those at high risk from those at low risk with very high sensitivity and specificity, offering a valid tool for this population.
• SLPQualitative2025Caregiver Perspectives on Telehealth Assessment and Other Supports for Infants with Early Developmental Concerns.Journal of autism and developmental disordersNineteen caregivers of infants with early developmental concerns felt uncertain and dismissed by providers. They valued live telehealth sessions and written reports for validation and advocacy, and wanted navigation help, parent coaching, and connection with other families.
• SLPCohort2025Examination of the Potential Moderating Role of Psychological Wellbeing in the Relationship Between Depression and Thoughts of Self-Harm in Autistic Adolescents and Adults: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPsychological wellbeing did not buffer the link between depression and thoughts of self-harm in autistic adolescents and adults. Instead, baseline depression and higher autistic traits independently predicted thoughts of self-harm two years later. These factors remained stable over time, suggesting early intervention is needed.
• OTSLPCohort2025Retrospective Analysis of Dog Bite Injuries in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism spectrum disorder suffered dog bites with similar severity and treatment needs as peers without the disorder. They were more likely to have head injuries and require blood transfusions, but mortality and overall clinical care needs did not differ between the groups.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Autistic and autism community perspectives on infant and family support in the first two years of life: Findings from a community consultation survey.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic and non-Autistic community members largely agreed that early infant supports should help parents understand their child's needs and improve quality of life. They rejected goals like reducing autistic behaviours or forcing eye contact. Reinforcement strategies and the term 'intervention' were viewed with concern.
• OTSLPCohort2025Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Offspring of Parents with Major Depressive Disorder: A Birth Cohort Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren of parents with depression were more likely to receive diagnoses of ADHD, autism, tics, and developmental delays. Prenatal parental depression was linked to more conditions; postnatal depression was linked only to ADHD, developmental delay, and coordination delay. Association, not proof of cause.
• SLPSystematic Review2025Parent-led Communication Therapy for Young Bilingual Autistic Children: A Scoping Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost parent-led communication programs for bilingual autistic children show promise, but the evidence is too weak to guide practice. Studies rarely report which languages families actually use, making it impossible to know if these programs work specifically for bilingual contexts.
• SLPOther2025Effect of Parental Severe Mental Disorders on the Timing of Autism Diagnosis: A Family Linkage Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn Taiwan, children diagnosed with autism at age 12 or older were more likely to have a parent with schizophrenia or substance use disorder. Children diagnosed at age 6 to 11 were more likely to have a parent with bipolar disorder or major depression.
• SLPSurvey2025Vaccine Hesitancy in the Autism Spectrum Disorder Context: Parental Vaccine Decision-Making and Coping with Stress Strategies.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism showed higher vaccine hesitancy and lower personal COVID-19 vaccination rates than parents of children with other disorders or no disorders. They also used different coping styles, notably less humor, linked to their hesitation.
• SLPSurvey2025Re-Evaluating the Appropriateness of the "Don't Know" Response Option: Guessing Rate as a Source of Systematic Error on Autism Knowledge Assessments.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutism knowledge tests that include a “don’t know” option can make guessing count as knowledge. In 396 school-based professionals, tendency to guess was linked with higher scores, so a low score may not mean low knowledge and a high score may not mean certainty.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Complete Spectrum of Physical Comorbidities with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Nationwide Cohort.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPeople with autism have a higher risk of developing most physical diseases from childhood into adulthood compared to the general population. This risk is especially high for nervous system and ear diseases, and females with autism face greater physical health risks than males.
• SLPQualitative2026Perceived Impact, Needs, and Resources of Grandparents of Children and Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum: A Qualitative Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersGrandparents of autistic children felt stuck between wanting to help and being blocked by parents or physical limits. They desperately wanted training on managing disruptive behaviors, but almost none sought professional psychological support themselves, relying instead on faith and family.
• OTSLPPilot2025Reported Barriers and Facilitators for Autistic Individuals, Persons with Other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, and Their Caregivers to Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine: A Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSurvey respondents most often named knowledgeable staff and low-noise, less crowded spaces as helpful; logistics were the most common reported unhelpful part.
• SLPOther2025Empathy and Autism: Establishing the Structure and Different Manifestations of Empathy in Autistic Individuals Using the Perth Empathy Scale.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults reported lower cognitive and affective empathy than non-autistic adults on the Perth Empathy Scale. However, affective empathy varied much more widely within the autistic group, so average scores do not describe every individual. The total score also misses important detail; use subscales instead.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Sleep Disturbances and Co-sleeping in Italian Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSleep problems affected one-third of children with autism, with difficulty falling or staying asleep being the most common. Higher IQ, anxiety, and parental stress predicted these issues. Co-sleeping was very frequent but did not correlate with sleep disorder severity.
• SLPQualitative2026Inclusive Education for Children with Developmental Disabilities in Ethiopia: Stakeholder Views on Benefits, Disadvantages and Priorities for Action.Journal of autism and developmental disordersStakeholders in Addis Ababa view inclusive education as a double-edged sword. Without teacher training, DD-specific support, and safety measures, inclusion risks isolation and stigma. Benefits like peer learning only emerge when schools are properly resourced.
• OTSLPOther2026The Moderating Effect of Sex on Autistic Trait Emotional Intelligence, Alexithymia, and Empathy.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigher autistic traits were linked to lower self-perceived emotional intelligence and higher alexithymia, but not empathy. Sex moderated the emotional intelligence link, with this association being stronger in males than females.
• SLPRCT2026The Efficacy of a Culturally-Adapted Group-based Parent Coaching Program for Autistic Children in China via Telehealth: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBoth self-directed and group coaching improved child communication and parent stress. However, only the group coaching significantly reduced parent anxiety and improved child quality of life compared to self-directed learning. The added value of live group sessions appears specific to parent mental health.
• SLPRCT2026Prevention and Reduction of Anxiety in Autistic Preschoolers Through an Autism-Specific Parent-Mediated Intervention: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating Short and Longer Term Outcomes.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents completing a six-session autism-specific anxiety program saw their preschoolers' anxiety around uncertainty drop significantly. General anxiety scores also fell. No negative effects were reported. The study was underpowered, so these results are promising but not definitive.
• SLPCase-Control2026Online Metaphor Comprehension in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Eye Tracking Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism understood novel metaphors as accurately as controls, but took nearly 800 milliseconds longer to do so. Eye-tracking showed they struggled to ignore the literal meaning, suggesting a processing delay rather than a comprehension deficit.
• SLPOther2026The Autism Program Environment Rating Scale in Swedish Primary School: Cultural Adaptation and Content Validation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersExperts judged the Swedish primary school version of the Autism Program Environment Rating Scale clear and relevant for assessing learning environments. Panel members highlighted a strong need for such a tool, but rated practical use in schools as unrealistic due to the scale's length and resource demands.
• SLPOther2026Disfluencies as a Window into Pragmatic Skills in Russian-Hebrew Bilingual Autistic and Non-Autistic Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBilingual autistic children produced fewer filled pauses and silent pauses than non-autistic peers, but only in their home language (Russian). In their societal language (Hebrew), disfluency rates were similar. This suggests language context alters how disfluencies appear.