Literature has documented inflated rates of features associated with autism spectrum (AS) in clinic referred, gender diverse young people. This study examined scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2) over time in a group of clinic referred, gender diverse adolescents accessing gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues…

A systematic retrospective case note review was undertaken to investigate autism diagnostic factors in 124 individuals with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS). Social Responsiveness Scale questionnaires were then analysed to explore the severity and profile of autism characteristics in 70 participants. Thirty-two to forty percent of participants had a…

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is commonly comorbid with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here, in a sample of 86 children and adolescents (M[subscript AGE] = 12.62 years; 68.6% male), 28 of whom were diagnosed with ASD, 34 with SAD, and 24 with comorbid ASD and SAD, we compared parent-reported scores from the Social Responsiveness Scale-Second…

Difficulties with social conversation can be a direct result of the social skills deficit in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The popularity of hand-held devices and the development of commercial apps has expanded the scope of teaching social skills via this modality. This study extends an earlier pilot study in which a…

Eating Disturbances (ED) are common in young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and may be influenced by Social Functioning and Social Anxiety, but no report has been made of the relative associations between these factors. Fifty-three girls with ASD aged (M age = 9.6 yr, range = 6 yr to 14 yr) rated their Social Anxiety and their ED, and…

Elevated parenting stress among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder is well-documented; however, there is limited information about variability in parenting stress and relationships with parent ratings of child functioning. The aim of this study was to explore profiles of parenting stress among 100 parents of young children with…

Controlled studies examining canine therapy in autism spectrum disorder are scarce. This study examined the effectiveness of a "Dog Training Intervention" on adaptive skills, autism severity, and anxiety using a controlled crossover design. Seventy-three participants diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (M[subscript age] = 4:10 ± 1:0)…

Empathy evokes support for the person in distress, and thus strengthening social cohesion. The question is to what extent empathic reactions can be observed in autistic adolescents and autistic girls in particular, since there is evidence that they have better social skills than boys, which might hinder their recognition as autistic. We examined…

Many researchers and practitioners cite concerns with maintenance and generalization as a serious issue for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), although few studies explicitly target performance of behaviors outside training environments. After an initial intervention failed to produce robust generalization outcomes, the present…

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by difficulties with social communication, with a preponderance in males. Evidence supports a relationship between metacognitive executive functions (e.g. planning, working memory) and social communication in autism spectrum disorder, yet relationships with specific metacognitive executive functions and…

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is commonly conceived as the extreme end of a continuum. Research suggests that autistic individuals outperform typically developing controls in visual search. Thus, enhanced visual search may represent an adaptive trait associated with ASD. Here, using a large general population sample (N = 608, aged 9-14 years), we…

The sources of anxiety for a sample of 132 young males with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) were investigated from standardised scales and verbal responses to a series of open-ended questions asked to them and their mothers. As well as using parametric statistics to test for effects on standardised scales, verbal responses were analysed via NVivo…

While many children with autism spectrum disorder are now detected at young ages given the rise in screening and general awareness, little is known regarding the prognosis of early detected children. The brain is shaped by experience-dependent mechanisms; thus, what a child pays attention to plays a pivotal role in shaping brain development. Eye…

This article details the iterative development, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of an 8-week work-related social skills intervention, Assistive Soft Skills and Employment Training, for young adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. In this mixed-methods study, pre- and post-intervention surveys, interviews, and functional…

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often associated with intellectual disability (ID). ASD-specific group concepts usually focus on people on a high functioning level. The Autism-Competence-Group (AutCom) combines a psycho-educative approach with music and dance/movement interventions in adults with ASD and ID. AutCom includes 16 structured…