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 9 OF 56 · NEWEST FIRST

• SLPOther2018Talking About Death or Suicide: Prevalence and Clinical Correlates in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Psychiatric Inpatient Setting.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAmong 107 inpatient youth with autism who could use sentences, parents reported 17 talked often and 7 very often about death or suicide. Anxiety and mood disorders, not age or IQ, were associated with more frequent reports.
• PTOTSLPOther2019The Gestalt of functioning in autism spectrum disorder: Results of the international conference to develop final consensus International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health core sets.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceExperts chose a list of autism functioning areas to assess: daily tasks, participation, environment and supports across ages. This is a framework, not evidence that a treatment works.
• OTSLPQualitative2019Educator perspectives on the postsecondary transition difficulties of students with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEducators said students with autism relied on parents for choices and supports after high school. They also identified casual conversation, problem solving, and schedule management as key transition difficulties.
• SLPCohort2019Autism spectrum disorder screening with the CBCL/1½-5: Findings for young children at high risk for autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practice24-month-olds diagnosed with ASD had higher CBCL Withdrawn and DSM-PDP scores than those not diagnosed. A score of 60 or higher identified 10 of 13, but three diagnosed children scored 50 to 51, so a normal score did not rule out ASD.
• SLPRCT2019An exploratory longitudinal study of social and language outcomes in children with autism in bilingual home environments.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceChildren with autism in bilingual homes showed language and social gains comparable to matched children in monolingual homes. Bilingual exposure did not predict worse outcomes; one gesture measure favoured bilingual homes, but differences were small and not consistent.
• SLPRCT2019Examining the Effectiveness of Naturalistic Social Skills Training in Developing Social Skills and Theory of Mind in Preschoolers with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPlay Time/Social Time helped preschoolers with ASD start and keep peer interactions, and both it and I Can Problem Solve reduced difficult social situations. Neither clearly improved understanding others' minds.
• SLPPilot2018Coaching parents to assess and treat self-injurious behaviour via telehealth.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRWith live video coaching, parents of two boys with self-injury implemented functional assessment and taught a communication response. Each boy's self-injury decreased while switch or picture card requests increased. This shows a possible home method, not proof it works.
• SLPOther2018Lagging skills contribute to challenging behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceIn 182 children with autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability, challenging behaviors were associated with higher depression, poorer inhibition, and rigidity. Communication was not associated. This does not prove cause or treatment.
• SLPOther2018Verbal Ability and Psychiatric Symptoms in Clinically Referred Inpatient and Outpatient Youth with ASD.Journal of autism and developmental disordersVerbal youth with ASD showed more depressive, generalized anxiety, and oppositional symptoms than minimally verbal youth; minimally verbal youth showed more hyperactive/impulsive ADHD symptoms. These are associations from one time point, not evidence that language ability causes symptoms.
• SLPOther2018Characterizing psychiatric comorbidity in children with autism spectrum disorder receiving publicly funded mental health services.Autism : the international journal of research and practice92% of children with autism in public mental health care had another psychiatric diagnosis, averaging 2.80 other psychiatric diagnoses. ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, anxiety, and mood problems often overlapped.
• OTSLPQualitative2018The importance of context in early autism intervention: A qualitative South African study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceSouth African caregivers of young children said early autism intervention should consider family language, culture, home setting, cost, and stigma. They preferred in-home therapy, language-matched providers, and speech or occupational therapists over local community workers.
• SLPOther2018Utilizing two-tiered screening for early detection of autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceA second clinician-administered play screen after a positive parent questionnaire reduced false alarms with published scoring, but missed more children. In 109 toddlers, a revised seven-item version caught more children while still reducing false alarms.
• OTSLPCase-Control2019Concordance between physiological arousal and emotion expression during fear in young children with autism spectrum disorders.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceNo clear group difference was found in the link between arousal and expression during fear in young children with autism and typical children. Both groups showed similar heart rate and visible fear responses. Low visible fear does not prove low internal arousal.
• SLPCohort2019Longitudinal associations across vocabulary modalities in children with autism and typical development.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceEarly spoken words predicted later understood words more strongly in children with autism. The reverse link did not show a group difference in this study. Caregiver follow-in talk during higher-order joint engagement was linked to this pathway in autism.
• SLPCase-Control2019Computer vision analysis captures atypical attention in toddlers with autism.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceThe tablet task did not find a difference in whether toddlers oriented to name at least once. It did find toddlers with autism were slower and less consistent when they did orient, but it is not ready for clinic use.
• SLPSystematic Review2018Response to name and its value for the early detection of developmental disorders: Insights from autism spectrum disorder, Rett syndrome, and fragile X syndrome. A perspectives paper.Research in developmental disabilitiesInfants later diagnosed with developmental disorders often respond less to their name, especially after 9 months. This paper says a poor name response is not proof of autism or any single disorder, but should alert clinicians to assess other early social signs.
• SLPCase-Control2018Autistic Traits in Treatment-Seeking Transgender Adults.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTransgender adults seeking gender care and cisgender adults had similar possible autism screening rates: 36.3% versus 33.2%. Among people assigned female at birth, transgender adults had 45% versus 30%.
• SLPQualitative2019Implementing systems-based innovations to improve access to early screening, diagnosis, and treatment services for children with autism spectrum disorder: An Autism Spectrum Disorder Pediatric, Early Detection, Engagement, and Services network study.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceInvestigators of autism service projects said existing community relationships, site champions, and central technical support helped early screening, diagnosis, and treatment. They faced barriers in slow systems, family engagement, provider time, and clinic culture.
• SLPOther2018Autism Spectrum Symptomatology in Children with Williams Syndrome Who Have Phrase Speech or Fluent Language.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with Williams syndrome who speak in phrases or fluently still showed autism-spectrum behaviours on a standardised autism observation, but most did not. Some social quirks may reflect Williams syndrome rather than a second autism diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPOther2018State-Level Trends in the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from 2000 to 2012: A Reanalysis of Findings from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Network.Journal of autism and developmental disordersASD prevalence varied widely by state from 2000 to 2012. State differences grew over time, with 2012 estimates ranging from 6.9 to 24.6 cases per 1000 8-year-olds. A national average can hide large state differences.
• SLPCohort2018Trajectories of cognitive development in toddlers with language delays.Research in developmental disabilitiesToddlers with early language delays who stayed on a delayed verbal trajectory were most likely to be diagnosed with autism. Those who caught up in language often had typical nonverbal skills. This helps distinguish who needs further autism evaluation.
• OTSLPCohort2018Adaptive Behaviour and Cognitive Skills: Stability and Change from 7 Months to 7 Years in Siblings at High Familial Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigh-risk siblings scored lower than low-risk siblings on cognitive and adaptive tests from infancy to age 7. Among high-risk children, those later diagnosed with ASD showed worsening daily living and social skills over time.
• SLPCohort2018Brief Report: Sex Differences in Parental Concerns for Toddlers with Autism Risk.Journal of autism and developmental disordersSex did not predict age or number of autism concerns in 669 toddlers screened at risk for autism. Parents still reported autism-related concerns more often for boys than girls. Restricted behaviors were also more often reported for boys.
• SLPCohort2019Naturalistic language sampling to characterize the language abilities of 3-year-olds with autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceOnly 3.7% of 3-year-olds with autism used no words in parent play, but 34% used fewer than 20 words. In autism, more word use and initiations were linked to better social scores.
• SLPOther2018Lack of Privileged Access to Awareness for Rewarding Social Scenes in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersTypical adults recognised rewarding social scenes faster than non-social ones, even when hidden from conscious awareness. Adults with autism showed no such advantage. This suggests social information does not automatically draw attention in autism, potentially affecting early social learning.
• SLPCohort2018Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) in Relation to Longitudinal Cortical Thickness Changes in Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn autism, higher parent-reported social communication scores were associated with differences in brain thickness in frontal and temporal regions. In 65 people followed over time, average scores decreased from 103 to 98, and those whose scores decreased had thicker frontal and thinner occipital cortex.
• SLPCohort2018Sleep and Challenging Behaviors in the Context of Intensive Behavioral Intervention for Children with Autism.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism who slept less on average showed more challenging behavior and repetitive behavior during intensive behavioral therapy. Night-to-night sleep changes mostly did not predict next-day behavior, except more night waking preceded self-injury.
• SLPOther2018Circumscribed Interests and Attention in Autism: The Role of Biological Sex.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBoys and girls with autism looked at pictures in sex-typical ways in this eye-tracking task: boys favored male images, girls favored female images. The sex-typical pattern appeared in both groups. The authors suggest using sex-matched interests in assessment and therapy, not only male-typical toys.
• SLPSurvey2018Parental First Concerns and Timing of Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCaregivers of children diagnosed with autism before age 3 more often noticed poor eye contact, delayed pointing, and lack of response to their name. Concerns about not initiating social interactions were linked to later diagnoses. These non-verbal signs may help clinicians identify children needing earlier evaluation.
• OTSLPMeta-Analysis2018The Association Between Emotional and Behavioral Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Psychological Distress in Their Parents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of autism and developmental disordersParents of children with autism report higher stress and mental health problems when their child has more emotional and behavioral difficulties. This link holds even after accounting for the child's autism severity, though it is weaker when a different person rates the child's behavior.
• SLPSurvey2018The Estimated Prevalence of Autism in School-Aged Children Living in Rural Nepal Using a Population-Based Screening Tool.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn rural Nepal, 14 of 4098 school-aged children screened positive for autistic traits using a translated parent questionnaire. Thirteen of the 14 also screened positive for disability. This was a screen, not a diagnosis.
• PTOTSLPPilot2018Effectiveness of a SCERTS Model-Based Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Hong Kong: A Pilot Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism in Hong Kong improved on communication, emotion and motor scores after a SCERTS-based programme delivered within usual centre care, but with no control group, maturation or other components cannot be separated.
• SLPOther2018Reading Comprehension in Children With and Without ASD: The Role of Word Reading, Oral Language, and Working Memory.Journal of autism and developmental disordersWorking memory did not predict reading comprehension after age, word reading, vocabulary and autism diagnosis were considered. Vocabulary was the best predictor, and children with autism had poorer comprehension despite matched language.
• SLPCohort2019Mothers of children with autism spectrum disorders: Play behaviors with infant siblings and social responsiveness.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceMothers raising infants at risk for autism showed no clear difference in play behaviors or questionnaire scores from other mothers. Their positive affect and combined looks, sounds, and smiles were linked to infants' social behaviors.
• SLPCohort2018Maternal Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy and the Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring: A Retrospective Analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study.Journal of autism and developmental disordersMothers’ reported light, moderate or heavy alcohol use during pregnancy did not show a clear association with autism diagnosis in children at age 11. Heavy use had only six cases, so it cannot rule out risk.
• SLPOther2018Measuring Individual Differences in Cognitive, Affective, and Spontaneous Theory of Mind Among School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersIn 60 school-aged children with autism, reasoning about minds split into cognitive and emotional factors, not a separate spontaneous factor. Better reasoning about emotions was linked to milder social symptoms, not broader social functioning.
• OTSLPCohort2018Relationship Between Advanced Maternal Age and Timing of First Developmental Evaluation in Children with Autism.Journal of developmental and behavioral pediatrics : JDBPHaving an older mother did not independently predict earlier developmental evaluation or faster diagnosis once family background was taken into account. The apparent link was explained by socioeconomic and demographic factors.
• SLPQualitative2018Autism Diagnosis in the United Kingdom: Perspectives of Autistic Adults, Parents and Professionals.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic adults and parents described the diagnostic process as lacking clear information, emotional support, and accessible assessment environments. They reported feeling abandoned after diagnosis, with no follow-up plan or signposting to long-term support services.
• SLPOther2018Differences of Symptom Distribution Across Adult Age in High Functioning Individuals on the Autism Spectrum Using Subscales of the Autism Spectrum Quotient.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdult patients' AQ scores did not differ across age groups for social, communication, and repetitive-behaviour domains. A non-focus imagination subscale differed, with older adults higher; spouse reports closely matched patient reports.
• OTSLPSurvey2018"Life is Much More Difficult to Manage During Periods": Autistic Experiences of Menstruation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAutistic respondents described menstruation as worsening sensory overload, executive dysfunction, and emotional regulation, leading to increased distress and meltdowns. They requested accessible, step-by-step education on cycle variability and practical coping strategies, noting that standard explanations often fail to address these specific exacerbations.
• SLPOther2019Perceptions of self and other: Social judgments and gaze patterns to videos of adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAdolescents with and without autism judged peers with autism less positively than peers without autism from brief videos and looked less at the faces of peers with autism, even when the rater also had autism.
• SLPOther2019Brief Report: Cross-Modal Capture: Preliminary Evidence of Inefficient Filtering in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersWhen children ignored sounds, groups did not differ overall, but children with autism were slowed more by mismatched sounds at some delays. They were not slower when asked to judge sound-picture matches. Small study, so preliminary.
• OTSLPOther2019Subtyping the Autism Spectrum Disorder: Comparison of Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren previously labelled Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism looked similar in core autism features, but the Asperger group had higher IQ, more pedantic speech, and fewer language and school difficulties. The old labels did not map cleanly onto DSM-5 severity levels.
• SLPOther2019Brief Report: Differences in Multisensory Integration Covary with Sensory Responsiveness in Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersChildren with autism and typical peers who were less accurate at matching heard and seen speech also showed more unusual sensory behavior, like seeming not to notice or seeking extra input; no causal link was shown.
• SLPRCT2019The impact of implementation support on the use of a social engagement intervention for children with autism in public schools.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceRemaking Recess training, with or without implementation support, did not differ in staff use of the intervention. Children in both groups spent more time engaging with peers on the playground.
• SLPOther2018Understanding Friendship Sex Heterophily and Relational Characteristics to Optimize the Selection of Peer Models for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disordersFor boys with autism, having more friends was linked to higher social connection in class; having female friends was linked to lower connection. Girls did not show this pattern.
• SLPOther2019Vagal Tone as a Putative Mechanism for Pragmatic Competence: An Investigation of Carriers of the FMR1 Premutation.Journal of autism and developmental disordersHigher resting vagal nerve activity was linked to better pragmatic conversation skills in both FMR1 premutation carriers and controls. Carriers had more pragmatic violations and lower activity, but this study cannot show cause.
• SLPOther2019The Relation Between Vocal Pitch and Vocal Emotion Recognition Abilities in People with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typical Development.Journal of autism and developmental disordersBetter vocal pitch discrimination was linked to better vocal emotion recognition in typical adults, but not in adults with autism, and the link did not differ significantly between groups. Adults with autism recognized emotions and discriminated vocal pitch worse.
• SLPQualitative2019Making the future together: Shaping autism research through meaningful participation.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic people and allies said autism research should be shaped by autistic people from the start, not only as participants. Five themes emerged: respect, authenticity, challenging assumptions, infrastructure, and empathy.
• OTSLPCohort2018Sensory features as predictors of adaptive behaviors: A comparative longitudinal study of children with autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities.Research in developmental disabilitiesEarly parent-reported muted responses and exaggerated responses were linked to lower daily living and overall adaptive skills years later in both autism and other developmental disability groups. Parent-reported sensory seeking was linked to lower adaptive skills in autism but higher in other disabilities.