Proponents of autism intervention and those of the neurodiversity movement often appear at odds, the former advocating for intensive treatments and the latter arguing that autism must be accepted as a form of diversity. The history of behavioral intervention has understandably outraged many in the Autistic community, though many still value…

The Behavioral Inflexibility Scale (BIS) is a recently developed measure of behavioral inflexibility, defined as rigid patterns of behavior that contrast with the need to be flexible when the situation calls for it. In this study, we sought to replicate previous findings on the psychometric properties of the BIS in a community sample. Data for…

Investigations into the etiology of autism spectrum disorders have been largely confined to two realms: variations in DNA sequence and somatic developmental exposures. Here we suggest a third route--disruption of the germline epigenome induced by exogenous toxicants during a parent's gamete development. Similar to cases of germline mutation, these…

Some studies report delayed theory of mind (ToM) development in children with specific language impairment (SLI), while others do not. A ToM delay is acknowledged in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), while whether these children also display a deficit is still under debate. In the current study, we drew on a developmental trajectory…

As autism is an invisible and often stigmatised condition, disclosing the diagnosis may lead to both support and/or discrimination. This mixed-methods questionnaire study examined autistic adults' experiences of disclosure in various contexts. The sample consisted of 393 participants aged 17-83 years from two longitudinal surveys. Almost all…

Autistic children tend to show divergent social information processing, and controversies exist regarding the mechanisms underlying this processing. In this article, we summarize and categorize the current theories and evidence related to hypo- and hyperarousal accounts of social information processing in autism. The hypo-arousal account proposes…

The stressors autistic individuals encounter and experience as traumatic may vary from non-autistics. We conducted a qualitative study to identify potential sources of trauma for autistic individuals and evaluate correspondence with a standard measure. We enrolled autistic adults (N = 14) and caregivers (N= 15) with varied adversities, levels of…

A common misperception of people with disabilities is that they are unable and/or disinterested in sex; however, research indicates that they express sexual desires and engage in sexual behaviors. Studies about the sexuality of people on the Autism Spectrum (ASD; on the spectrum), however, suggests they receive limited sex education and are more…

Recent high school graduates enter a period of postsecondary transition where they are expected to obtain employment, enter college, or enroll in a training program. Postsecondary outcomes for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are notably lower than their neurotypical peers. Forty-two percent of students with ASD present with normal…

The purpose of this research was to gain a greater understanding of the transition experiences of students on the autism spectrum. Because the transition phenomenon itself was the focus of the study, information was sought not only from the primary perspective of students on the autism spectrum, but also from family members who participated in…

There is an increasing number of culturally diverse individuals, particularly Asians, identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the United States. Nevertheless, research on culturally diverse caregivers, especially fathers, of children with ASD is scarce. Thus, this phenomenological study explored the essence of shared experiences of…

The present study investigated the association between autism and problematic internet use (PIU) and gaming disorder (GD). A systematic literature search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. A total of 2286 publications were screened, and 21 were deemed eligible for inclusion in the review. The majority of the studies found positive…

This systematic review (Prospero Registration Number: CRD42019142910) aimed to narratively synthesise technology-aided assessments and treatments of anxiety in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for the first time. Sixteen studies were identified: 5 assessment studies and 11 treatment studies. Assessment studies targeted state anxiety…

There are few published procedures for teaching athletic skills to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study used a multiple baseline across participants design to evaluate the effects of prompting, demand fading, and differential reinforcement, on the basketball shooting skills of four school-aged boys diagnosed with ASD. During…

Data from the National Survey of Children's Health 2016-2019 was used to examine the co-occurrence of autism and ADHD and the impact on anxiety and depression among adolescents age 12-17. Rates of anxiety and depression were up to ten-fold the prevalence of adolescents not diagnosed with autism or ADHD. Over half of autistic females (57%) and…