Purpose: Social experiences are consistently associated with psychological health among autistic individuals. However, most extant studies on this topic exclude individuals with autism who have lower IQ or are otherwise unable to self-report. The current study addresses this gap by examining associations of negative peer experiences and social…

Purpose: Despite known motor and spoken language impairments in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the motor skills underlying speech production and their relationship with language skills have rarely been directly investigated in this population. Method: Thirty-nine autistic children (14 minimally verbal [MV], 25 verbal [V]) and 11 non-autistic…

Purpose: The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic children/youth and their families and on service providers are not yet well-understood. This study explored the lived experiences of families with an autistic child and service providers who support them regarding the impacts of the pandemic on service delivery and well-being. Methods: In…

Autistic youth have a high co-occurrence of mental health challenges and a resultant high need for mental health treatment. However, they experience mental health service disparities compared to non-autistic youth. Social determinants of health (SDH) may contribute to mental health service disparities among autistic youth, yet this has not been…

There is a lack of qualified special education teachers (SETs) in U.S. public schools. The literature has provided mixed results related to a variety of supports for SETs, including administrator, colleague, professional development, mentorship, and resources and their impact on retention. In addition, few studies have focused on SETs who work…

Background: School-based professionals play a crucial role in supporting autistic learners, with teachers and occupational therapists being primary implementers of education and health policies. The support context reflects cultural feminist principles, as women professionals predominantly provide immediate support in schools. Aim: This study…

The use of self-report to assess anxiety in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) is notably underexplored. This study examined the impact of youth-level factors (i.e., age, verbal and cognitive ability, adaptive skills) on anxiety self-report completion and parent-youth agreement among 72 autistic adolescents with ID. We also examined if…

Self-advocacy is an essential skill for effective and successful integration into the wider social environment and is important for psychological and physiological well-being. The Performative Drama Model Ars Vitae was trialled to improve students' assertiveness and performance in real life. A 12-year-old boy with learning disabilities and…

Despite a marked increase in the volume of research investigating issues about reading interventions for students with ASD (e.g., Bailey and Arciuli, Rev J Autism Dev Disord 7(2):127-150, 2020; Chiang and Lin, Focus Autism Other Dev Disab 22(4):259-267, 2007), very few studies have examined the current reading practices experienced by children…

The present study examined the employment landscape for 129 U.S. autistic young adults. Data were collected over multiple waves including high school and early adulthood. Parents participated in interviews and responded to questions regarding young adult employment outcomes, on-the-job supports, job match, and overall job satisfaction. The…

Adaptive behavior, self-determination, and health are important areas of body functions and activities identified by autistic adults as priorities for research. Past research has suggested that autistic adults have high support needs in adaptive behavior and self-determination, and have poor physical and mental health outcomes. This study included…

Autistic adolescents and young adults face barriers to accessing health care, particularly during the pediatric-to-adult care transition. This study compared health care access, utilization, and provider interactions between rural and urban autistic adolescents and young adults. Autistic adolescents and young adults (N = 180) aged 14-25 were…

Research has found that autistic women experience elevated rates of sexual and domestic violence and may benefit from accessing support to recover. This study aimed to explore the experiences of Australian practitioners and the approaches they use to support the recovery needs of autistic women who are survivors of sexual and domestic violence.…

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience barriers to employment, contributing to persistently low employment rates within this population. Proficiency in social and technical skills is essential for obtaining and maintaining employment. One evidence-based approach for teaching these skills…

This study investigated how peer-mediated structured game activities changed and improved peer relations in an inclusive preschool classroom for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A case study was used in which 17 typically developing (TD) children aged 60-71 months, a 66-month-old boy diagnosed with ASD and the preschool teacher…