Social difficulties and mental health are primary behavioral health concerns in autistic young adults, perhaps especially during key life transitions such as entering college. This study evaluated how dissatisfaction with social connectedness may predict and/or maintain depression and anxiety symptoms in neurodiverse, first-semester, undergraduate…

Extreme demand avoidance (EDA) is increasingly described as part of the autism spectrum and is sometimes diagnosed as Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Yet little is known, about the educational experiences of children with and without EDA behaviours. Using an online survey collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, 211 parents reported…

The college experience can significantly increase feelings of anxiety in all students, as students find themselves in evaluative settings where academic, and often social abilities, are judged. Moreover, high levels of anxiety can lead to significant difficulties with navigating the challenges of college. For students with autism symptomatology,…

Objective: Depression and anxiety have been identified as growing concerns for many populations in the United States, including young adults. We investigated how internalizing symptoms may have changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic among students transitioning to college. Participants: Participants were incoming undergraduates in Fall 2020,…

Many autistic children receive special education services via Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that include specific educational goals and needs. Prior research has examined programming options available to support autistic students, but less is known about their educational needs across academic and developmental educational goals.…

Purpose: An increasing number of autistic students are pursuing higher education to enhance career opportunities, achieve personal growth, and increase independence. Nonetheless, many encounter difficulties in transitioning to and thriving in this environment, despite the support offered by universities. Here, we review the preliminary data from a…

Although individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending college at higher rates, students with ASD continue to struggle with adjusting to the college environment and successfully completing their degrees. Thus, the present study compared executive functioning (EF) and academic outcomes (i.e., performance, adjustment) among students…

Social skills are vital to everyday life; home being the first place to learn these skills. Lack of such skills is a characteristic of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (Gray, 2004). This lack of social skills negatively impacts autistic children to excel in the school and community environment. They have a hard time maintaining social…

Preschool classrooms provide a unique context for supporting the development of children with social-communication challenges. This study is an uncontrolled clinical trial of an adapted professional development intervention for preschool teachers (Social Emotional Engagement-Knowledge & Skills-Early Childhood). Social Emotional…