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Autism spectrum research

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

2,764 PAPERS · PAGE 6 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTSLPCohort2017Behavioral Markers of Emergent Stranger Anxiety in Infants and Toddlers with Fragile X Syndrome.Journal of autism and developmental disordersInfants with Fragile X showed less facial fear than controls. Within the group, stable distress vocalizations linked to later social withdrawal, while lower escape behaviors linked to higher autistic symptoms. These markers did not predict general anxiety.
• SLPCase-Control2017Screening for Autism with the SRS and SCQ: Variations across Demographic, Developmental and Behavioral Factors in Preschool Children.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBoth the SCQ and SRS were adequate overall for screening autism risk in preschoolers, but false positives rose for children of lower-income, less-educated, African American or Hispanic mothers, and for children with developmental or behavior challenges.
• OTSLPCohort2017Autism Spectrum Disorders and Low Mental Age: Diagnostic Stability and Developmental Outcomes in Early Childhood.Journal of autism and developmental disordersVery young children with autism and language and reasoning below 12 months kept an autism diagnosis, but made far less progress in communication, play, and daily skills than other autism groups.
• SLPOther2017Brief Report: Relationship Between ADOS-2, Module 4 Calibrated Severity Scores (CSS) and Social and Non-Social Standardized Assessment Measures in Adult Males with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 40 adult males with autism, ADOS-2 severity scores did not line up with self or parent reports of social difficulties. They did line up with IQ, especially verbal ability, so higher social affect scores went with lower verbal IQ.
• SLPCohort2017Responding to Other People's Direct Gaze: Alterations in Gaze Behavior in Infants at Risk for Autism Occur on Very Short Timescales.Journal of autism and developmental disordersInfants at risk for autism looked less at an adult's face for 300 to 1000 ms after the adult made direct eye contact. This brief drop in response was specific to direct gaze, as overall face looking times did not differ between groups.
• OTSLPOther2018The Influence of task Demands, Verbal Ability and Executive Functions on Item and Source Memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with autism showed impaired memory for both single objects and their locations, contrary to the expectation that item memory is spared. Source memory difficulties worsened when more locations were added, and verbal ability predicted memory performance in both groups.
• SLPCohort2018Early Gesture and Vocabulary Development in Infant Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersInfants with an older sibling with autism who were later diagnosed themselves looked similar to low-risk infants at 8 months, but their gesture and word growth slowed and fell behind by 9 to 11 months. A single early check can miss this.
• SLPCohort2018Health Concerns and Health Service Utilization in a Population Cohort of Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersYoung adults with autism spectrum disorder were more likely than peers without developmental disability to have psychiatric diagnoses and mental health service use. Compared with peers with other developmental disabilities, they had more psychiatric diagnoses and psychiatrist visits, but not more hospitalizations.
• SLPCohort2018What will my child's future hold? phenotypes of intellectual development in 2-8-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchSome young children with autism showed large gains in intellectual ability between ages 2 and 8, while others stayed stable or lost ground. The amount of therapy received did not differ between these groups.
• OTSLPOther2018Adaptive behavior in autism: Minimal clinically important differences on the Vineland-II.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchA change of 2.44 to 3.76 points on the Vineland-II Adaptive Behavior Composite score may be clinically meaningful for autistic people, but the needed change depends on age and IQ. This is a benchmark, not proof a treatment works.
• OTSLPCase-Control2018Association Between Air Pollution Exposure, Cognitive and Adaptive Function, and ASD Severity Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigher nitrogen dioxide exposure during pregnancy and the first year was linked to lower cognitive and adaptive scores in children with autism. It was not linked to autism severity. It is not proof pollution caused the deficits.
• SLPSurvey2018Autism Spectrum Disorder and School Bullying: Who is the Victim? Who is the Perpetrator?Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism spectrum disorder were more often bullied as victims, even after accounting for other behavioral problems. They were not more often perpetrators once hyperactivity, attention problems, aggression, and conduct problems were considered.
• SLPSurvey2018Brief Report: Self-Reported Academic, Social, and Mental Health Experiences of Post-Secondary Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMost college students with ASD reported lifetime suicidal behavior, and over 75% felt left out or isolated. The survey describes their self-reported distress, not whether support helps.
• SLPOther2017Zebrafish knockout of Down syndrome gene, DYRK1A, shows social impairments relevant to autism.Molecular autismZebrafish with a DYRK1A knockout had smaller brains, less social interaction, and stayed farther apart in groups. A single human with a DYRK1A deletion had microcephaly and autism. These are basic science findings, not evidence for changing therapy.
• SLPOther2018Lay Listener Classification and Evaluation of Typical and Atypical Children's Speech.Language and speechLay listeners rated children with autism as less likeable and more disordered based solely on short speech samples. This negative social evaluation was driven by perceived intelligibility issues, such as slow rate and unclear articulation, rather than by prosodic differences alone.
• SLPOther2017Linguistic camouflage in girls with autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autismGirls with autism used um in more of their filled pauses than boys did, by using less uh. More uh related to lower parent-reported socialization, so speech patterns may mask autism signs.
• SLPSurvey2017Why is it so hard to reach agreement on terminology? The case of developmental language disorder (DLD).International journal of language & communication disordersSpeech-language therapists may use developmental language disorder as a broad label for children with persistent language problems, not a sharp diagnosis. It should not depend on a gap between language and non-verbal ability, and functional impact must be shown.
• SLPPilot2017Development and evaluation of a speech-generating AAC mobile app for minimally verbal children with autism spectrum disorder in Mainland China.Molecular autismAll ten minimally verbal children with autism could make requests without prompts in at least three of five Yuudee app training phases, but no control group and they also received ABA, so app effect is uncertain.
• SLPQualitative2018Information, Advocacy and Signposting as a Low-Level Support for Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Example from the UK.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with high-functioning autism described feeling less isolated and more able to manage daily life through free drop-in hubs, mentoring, information, signposting and advocacy. The paper reports perceptions, not tested outcomes.
• SLPRCT2018Transitioning Together: A Multi-family Group Psychoeducation Program for Adolescents with ASD and Their Parents.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCompared with waitlist, parents in the group had fewer depressive symptoms and better problem-solving, and their teens had more social interactions; general life stress, relationship quality, warmth, criticism and autism symptoms did not improve more than waitlist.
• SLPSystematic Review2018Same or Different: The Overlap Between Children With Auditory Processing Disorders and Children With Other Developmental Disorders: A Systematic Review.Ear and hearingChildren with APD or suspected APD and children with language, reading, attention, or learning disorders performed similarly on 85 of 102 tests. Current tests may flag listening difficulty but do not reliably separate diagnoses.
• PTOTSLPCohort2017Clinical phenotype of ASD-associated DYRK1A haploinsufficiency.Molecular autismDYRK1A disruptions were associated with microcephaly, speech delay, intellectual impairment, motor and feeding problems, vision abnormalities, and ASD features. This pattern can guide assessment of speech, motor, feeding, vision, and adaptive needs.
• OTSLPPilot2018Development of the Supported Employment, Comprehensive Cognitive Enhancement, and Social Skills program for adults on the autism spectrum: Results of initial study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEight adults with autism completed a 6-month cognitive and social skills program inside a vocational training setting. Participants reported improved executive functioning and social skills, and self-reported employment rose from 22% to 56%, though this was a small open trial with no control group.
• SLPOther2018Shank3-deficient rats exhibit degraded cortical responses to sound.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchShank3 heterozygous rats had weaker cortical responses to tones, rapid noise bursts, and speech onsets. The first response to speech sounds was slower overall. Ability to tell isolated speech sounds apart was unchanged. No therapy was tested.
• SLPOther2017Early social communication in infants with fragile X syndrome and infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder.Research in developmental disabilitiesInfants with fragile X syndrome used less complex social communication than siblings of children with autism. Their communication was also lower than typically developing infants, but the difference was not clear. They communicated more during peek-a-boo than during other play tasks.
• SLPSurvey2018Experiences of Autism Acceptance and Mental Health in Autistic Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults who felt less accepted by society, family and friends, or themselves reported more depression. Less acceptance from society, family and friends also related to more stress. Anxiety was not related to acceptance.
• OTSLPQualitative2018Challenges and Successful Pedagogical Strategies: Experiences from Six Swedish Students with Blindness and Autism in Different School Settings.Journal of autism and developmental disordersStudents with blindness and autism described confusion from fast, visually based instructions and noise. Teachers and parents reported calm, small, highly structured settings and using students' interests as helpful. No tested intervention was shown to work.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2018Auditory brainstem response in infants and children with autism spectrum disorder: A meta-analysis of wave V.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchAcross 25 studies, autism was linked to longer auditory brainstem response timing than controls. That timing difference shrank with age and reversed in adults. It does not yet support a clinical test.
• SLPOther2018Assessing Autism in Adults: An Evaluation of the Developmental, Dimensional and Diagnostic Interview-Adult Version (3Di-Adult).Journal of autism and developmental disordersAn informant interview usually identified adults with autism correctly in 88 participants, including people with other mental health conditions. It took about 30 to 50 minutes and should support, not replace, clinical diagnosis.
• SLPCohort2017Critical region within 22q11.2 linked to higher rate of autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autism5 of 12 participants with deletions including LCR-A to B had autism, versus 0 of 8 with deletions not including that region, but the study did not confirm this difference. This small genetic study does not show a treatment or screening change.
• SLPOther2018Metaperception in Adolescents With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAfter a brief first meeting, teens with and without autism mostly guessed how peers saw them from their own feelings, not from peers' ratings. Believing they were liked went with smoother conversation and more attempts to connect.
• PTOTSLPCase Series2017Prospective investigation of FOXP1 syndrome.Molecular autismChildren with FOXP1 mutations had delayed speech and language, motor and visual-motor deficits, and universal dysarthria. Expressive language tested better than receptive. Early PT, SLP, and OT were recommended, not tested.
• SLPRCT2018The Autism Family Experience Questionnaire (AFEQ): An Ecologically-Valid, Parent-Nominated Measure of Family Experience, Quality of Life and Prioritised Outcomes for Early Intervention.Journal of autism and developmental disordersThe total family-experience score favoured parent-mediated communication therapy plus usual care over usual care at 13 months and 6 years. The parent domain favoured it at follow-up, the family domain did not, and some child-domain effects did not last.
• OTSLPOther2018Sensory Sensitivity and Food Selectivity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn children with ASD, Atypical oral sensory sensitivity was associated with more food refusal (48.2% vs 33.2%) and lower vegetable variety (4.2 vs 8.6). Atypical oral over-sensitivity was associated with more food refusal (52% vs 25%) and lower fruit and vegetable variety.
• SLPCohort2017Specificity of executive function and theory of mind performance in relation to attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms in autism spectrum disorders.Molecular autismIn adolescents with autism, executive function difficulties tracked with ADHD symptoms, while theory of mind difficulties tracked with autism symptoms. These links held after controlling for IQ and shared parent reporting biases, suggesting distinct cognitive profiles for each symptom domain.
• OTSLPCase Report2017Mutations in RAB39B in individuals with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and macrocephaly.Molecular autismTwo brothers in one family with autism, intellectual disability, no functional language, fine motor problems, and head circumference on the 98th percentile shared a maternal RAB39B mutation. Their sister had mild intellectual disability and autism traits, not autism; their mother had tremor.
• SLPRCT2018Assessing Quality of Program Environments for Children and Youth with Autism: Autism Program Environment Rating Scale (APERS).Journal of autism and developmental disordersA rating scale for autism school programs produced consistent total scores across two samples. Two trained raters usually agreed within one point on a five-point scale, and the domains fit together well enough to use one total score.
• SLPCase-Control2018Autism spectrum disorder and birth spacing: Findings from the study to explore early development (SEED).Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchIn second or later births, autism was associated with conception less than 18 months or 60 months or more after a previous birth. The association was stronger for more severe autism; other developmental delays showed no association.
• SLPOther2018Improving Efficiency and Quality of the Children's ASD Diagnostic Pathway: Lessons Learned from Practice.Journal of autism and developmental disordersA single evidence-based pathway with multi-disciplinary triage significantly cut waits for children's autism assessment. Referral to diagnosis dropped from 26.4 weeks in 2015 to 17.5 weeks in 2016. Referral demand was also found to be more than double previous estimates.
• OTSLPCohort2018Parent and Teacher Concordance of Child Outcomes for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents and teachers often disagreed about children with autism. Parents rated adaptive skills higher, but reported more social withdrawal and better social communication than teachers. Agreement was moderate, varied by domain, and depended on cognitive ability.
• SLPRCT2018Changes in Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents with ASD Completing the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdolescents with ASD who completed PEERS reported fewer depressive symptoms after intervention than waitlisted peers. The change was self-reported and measured immediately after, so it is not known whether it lasts.
• SLPOther2018Do Parents Model Gestures Differently When Children's Gestures Differ?Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism or Down syndrome gestured less than typically developing children, but parents gestured similarly across groups. The same gesture types appeared in all groups, so lower gesture use did not match less parental gesture input.
• OTSLPCohort2018The Association Between Child and Family Characteristics and the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Caregivers of Children with Autism in Mid-Childhood.Journal of autism and developmental disorders48% of caregivers of children with autism aged 8 to 12 met criteria for mental health difficulties, and wellbeing was lower than expected. Child behaviour problems, poor daily living skills and intellectual disability were linked to distress; core autism symptoms were not.
• SLPOther2018Do Parents and Clinicians Agree on Ratings of Autism-Related Behaviors at 12 Months of Age? A Study of Infants at High and Low Risk for ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParent and clinician views of 12-month-old infants' social communication were only moderately aligned. How the question was worded changed what parents reported, especially about responding to name.
• PTOTSLPCohort2018Long-term behavioural outcomes after paediatric convulsive status epilepticus: a population-based cohort study.Developmental medicine and child neurologyChildren who had convulsive status epilepticus, even without epilepsy, showed more behavioural problems than peers. Screening should not stop at seizure control, as many issues go undetected. Those with lower IQ or prior seizures were at highest risk.
• SLPOther2018Preliminary Evaluation of a Brief Autism Screener for Young Children.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPA brief caregiver questionnaire flagged toddlers who later received autism diagnoses, and most flagged children did have autism. It was tested only in low-risk toddlers, so it is not yet ready to replace routine developmental surveillance.
• OTSLPCohort2018Autistic Symptoms in Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren and adolescents with gender dysphoria show more autistic traits than peers but fewer than those diagnosed with autism. Traits were elevated across all domains, not just rigidity. Screening for autism is warranted, but questionnaire scores do not equal a diagnosis.
• SLPMeta-Analysis2018A meta-analysis of the association between vocalizations and expressive language in children with autism spectrum disorder.Research in developmental disabilitiesVocalizations strongly correlate with expressive language in children with autism. Concurrent measures showed a stronger link than longitudinal ones. This supports assessing prelinguistic vocalizations to predict language outcomes.
• OTSLPOther2018In Search of Culturally Appropriate Autism Interventions: Perspectives of Latino Caregivers.Journal of autism and developmental disordersLatino Spanish-speaking caregivers wanted therapists to teach them directly, use Spanish, and offer practical strategies like prompting and modeling. Surveys showed few group differences, but focus groups revealed stigma, mixed messages and unmet home-support needs.
• OTSLPNarrative Review2018Focus on the Social Aspect of Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn US children, autism is reported in 14.6 per 1000; most are identified after age 4, and families face high care costs and lost income. Social communication differences are the defining clinical feature.