Children with sensory abnormalities (SAs) have a variety of social problems resulting in poorer social functioning than children with typical development (TD). We describe the relationship between SAs and social functioning in school-age children with SAs, children with TD and a clinical comparison sample of children with autism spectrum disorder…

Females with autism have unique socialization profiles, but less is known about sex/gender differences in the context of socialization interventions. This study utilized a combination of behavioral and survey measures to examine sex/gender differences in 32 autistic adolescents (10 females, 22 males) before and after participation in the 20-week…

Camouflaging refers to strategies used by autistic people to mask or hide social difficulties. The current study draws on Social Identity Theory to examine the relationship between camouflaging and autism-related stigma, testing the hypothesis that camouflaging represents an individualistic strategy in response to stigma. Two hundred and…

Most autistic people report challenges in initiating and developing intimate, long-term relationships. We used a phenomenological approach to interview thirteen people who were in a neurodiverse intimate relationship (where one partner had a diagnosis of autism) in order to explore the challenges and facilitators both neurotypical and autistic…

Self-determination refers to an individual's capacity and opportunities to act as a causal agent in their own lives to make choices, decisions, and set goals. The current study examined self- and parent-reports of the AIR Self-Determination Scale in transition-aged autistic youth (Based on stakeholder preferences, we use identity-first(autistic)…

We examined the relations of restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB; insistence on sameness, repetitive sensory-motor, self-injurious behavior) to social skills overall and aspects that comprise social skills as measured by the VABS-II (coping skills, play/leisure time, interpersonal relationships) in 24- (n = 63) and 36-month old (n = 35),…

The clinical heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorders majorly challenges their genetic study. Autism spectrum disorders symptoms occur in milder forms in the general population, as autistic-like traits, and share genetic factors with autism spectrum disorders. Here, we investigate the genetics of individual autistic-like traits to improve our…

Globally, there are more bilingual speakers than monolingual speakers; however, scant research evidence exists regarding social communication development and outcomes for bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A stronger evidence base will facilitate health professionals and educators providing accurate recommendations regarding…

Face-processing deficits, while not required for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), have been associated with impaired social skills--a core feature of ASD; however, the strength and prevalence of this relationship remains unclear. Across 445 participants from the NIMH Data Archive, we examined the relationship between Benton Face…

This study differentially examined the relation between two clinical constructs: "social anxiety" and "social competence" in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Employing two questionnaires (SASKO; IU), individuals with ASD (n = 23) showed increased scores of SOCIAL ANXIETY (SASKO) and of INTOLERANCE OF UNCERTAINTY (IU), compared…

Differences in prosody behavior between individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their typically developing peers have been considered a central feature of ASD since the earliest clinical descriptions of the disorder (e.g., Kanner, 1943/1973). Prosody includes pitch and volume among other dimensions of vocal-verbal behavior that…

UCLA PEERS® for Adolescents is a widely applied program among a number of social skills training programs developed over the years. We synthesized current research evidence on the PEERS program to evaluate the treatment effect on four commonly used outcome measures. 12 studies met inclusion criteria for the review and nine met the criteria for…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder are likely to demonstrate social impairments that contribute to challenging behaviors and academic difficulties. As a result, the task of improving social communication skills is a critical component to any educational program for this population. Scripting provides an evidence-based and versatile option for…

People on the autism spectrum may have difficulty inferring others' emotions (cognitive empathy), but may share another's emotions (affective empathy) and exhibit heightened personal distress. The present study examined independent autistic trait dimensions (social difficulties and restricted/repetitive behaviours) and the roles alexithymia and…

Joint engagement involves a child coordinating their attention between a person and a shared event. Children with autism present with impaired joint engagement. Playdates are a common way that children socially engage yet have been largely overlooked in the social skills literature. Requesting skills have been conceptualized as pivotal, producing…