The adult service system does not adequately meet the needs of autistic adults, prompting families to continue their supportive roles. Siblings frequently assume these roles when parents are no longer able to do so, often without preparation or planning. We received feedback on the proposed Siblings FORWARD (Focusing on Relationships, Well-being,…

Law enforcement officers are the primary individuals called and who respond to situations of heightened concern. They make split-second observations and decisions based on how best to react to given safety situations and those involved. Characteristics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), if not properly understood and reacted to, may quickly…

A global pandemic has significantly impacted the ability to conduct diagnostic evaluations for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In the wake of the coronavirus, autism centers and providers quickly needed to implement innovative diagnostic processes to adapt in order to continue serve patient needs while minimizing the spread of the virus. The…

The study aims to develop and pilot a telehealth social emotional program, MindChip™ delivered with a computer based interventions (CBI) (Mind Reading©) for autistic adults. MindChip™ combined four theoretical perspectives and community feedback underpinning the essential mechanisms for targeting the social emotional understanding of autistic…

Developing technologies to support individuals with ASD is a growing field of research facing numerous challenges. First, while the individual with ASD is central, the motivations of others, such as parents, are often taken as the motivations of the individual. Second, the desirable cross-disciplinary pollination for improved intervention can…

The heterogeneity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) makes it difficult for school-based professionals to develop effective Individual Education Plans (IEP) for this group. Limited research exists on the quality of IEP programs for individuals with ASD. This article summarizes the results of a retrospective chart review from an outpatient…

Relatively limited research has been devoted to understanding the postsecondary experience from the students' perspectives. In the current study, individual interviews were conducted with university students with autism spectrum disorder (n = 13) and students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (n = 18) to investigate likely factors…

Early intervention for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) tends to focus on enhancing social-communication skills. We report the acceptability, feasibility and impact on child functioning of a new 8 weeks parent-group intervention to manage restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) in young children with ASD aged 3-7 years. Forty-five families took…

Relatively little is yet known about employment readiness and elements that promote access to, and the retention of, employment for adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This paper posits elements within the ecosystem of employment and ASD. The ecosystem approach locates employment among persons with ASD as inextricably linked with broader…

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is indicated as an important transdiagnostic process variable in a range of anxiety disorders. Anxiety is very common in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed to develop a parent group based manualised treatment programme for young people with ASD, which focused on IU. An eight session…

Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) and behavior interventions have been effective in the management of challenging behavior among children with developmental disabilities including autism spectrum disorders. Research suggests the need for valid measurement instruments for verifying, calibrating and scoring competence in FBA and behavior…

Previous studies on social skills training on ASD were done almost exclusively in the West with children as the main subjects. Demonstrations of the applicability of social interventions in different cultures and age groups are warranted. The current study outlined the development and preliminary evaluation of a CBT-context-based social competence…

The article identifies common concerns in residential programs for persons with autism (the role of families, staff training, program components, interactions with the nonhandicapped community) as well as areas of variation among different programs including goals, size, funding, physical environment, vocational programing, and grouping of…

The 11 North Carolina group homes serving persons with autism are described. Discussed are such aspects as cost effectiveness, staff selection and training, level of structure and programing, composition of the client group, adherence to a central philosophy, and the role of administration. (Author/DB)

This paper describes the establishment and work of two brain and tissue banks, which collect brain and other tissues from newly deceased individuals with autism and make these tissues available to researchers. Issues in tissue collection are identified, including the importance of advance planning, religious concerns of families, and the need for…