A prior randomized trial found a school social intervention yielded significantly better outcomes (social and autism features) immediately following intervention compared to typical school programming (services-as-usual [SAU]) for children on the autism spectrum. In that study, children in the SAU condition subsequently completed a summer social…

Intensive services are recommended for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Limited research on service receipt in states with mandated ASD-specific service coverage suggests that it remains low, and factors associated with intensity are unclear. Participants were 206 children from the Boston Outcomes of Autism in Toddlers study…

Higher education is an increasingly necessary achievement to attain employment. However, even in cases where a student has the academic skills to succeed, educational environments may not support students across all other domains necessary for education success, including social and communication needs. This is especially true for students with…

Existing literature suggests adults with autism may only have limited access to support, which may fail to meet their diversified learning needs. This study thus aims to propose dimensions and parameters of a learning support system for adults with autism by means of focus group interviews (N = 30). The content analysis of interview data produced…

Despite recorded successes of using Lego®-based Therapy (LBT) to support autistic children and young people (CYP) and those with SEMH needs, there is a dearth of research examining the perspectives of secondary school practitioners. Addressing this gap, this paper explores the perspectives of staff (teachers and paraprofessionals) in a secondary…

We conducted a meta-analysis which included 16 sibling-mediated intervention studies that aims to utilize siblings to teach their brothers and sisters with autism spectrum disorder play skills, functional skills, or to decrease unwanted behaviors. In general, results across the studies show that sibling-mediated intervention has medium effect size…

Diagnostic assessment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex and often stressful process for parents. This systematic review synthesized results of 26 articles that reported on factors related to parental (dis)satisfaction with the diagnostic process for ASD. The results are described in terms of factors related to satisfaction and those…

We examined whether theory of mind difficulties often considered to characterise autistic individuals impair their ability to detect the presence of dodgy or suspicious behaviour in interactions, thereby rendering them especially vulnerable to becoming involved in criminal activity or being victimised. Using a signal detection theory approach, we…

Our purpose in this study was to examine the effects of an intervention package consisting of shared book reading and an adapted question-answer relationship (QAR) strategy comprised of visual supports and think-aloud scripts on listening comprehension in four preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We used a single-subject…

Emotional and behavioral problems (EBPs) frequently occur in young autistic children. Discrepancies between parents and other informants are common but can lead to uncertainty in formulation, diagnosis and care planning. This study aimed to explore child and informant characteristics are associated with reported child EBPs across settings.…

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at a heightened risk for obesity. Family-level measures of nutrition and physical activity may help explain factors contributing to disproportionate rates of weight gain. Twenty adolescents with ASD participated in baseline testing for a study to assess the feasibility of remotely-delivered yoga.…

Social impairments are common features of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) allowed access to daily-life information in order to explore the phenomenology of social interactions. 32 individuals with 22q11DS, 26 individuals with ASD and 44 typically developing peers…

Mental health difficulties are prevalent in autistic people with [approximately]14%-50% having experienced depression and [approximately]40%-80% having experienced anxiety disorders. Identifying interventions that improve autistic people's mental health is a top priority. However, at present, there is no high-quality network meta-analysis of…

Discernment of possible sex-based variations in presentations of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms is limited by smaller female samples with ASD and confounds with ASD ascertainment. A large national cohort of individuals with autism, SPARK, allowed parent report data to be leveraged to examine whether intrinsic child characteristics and…

Background: Increased social integration of individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism could may raise their likelihood of interacting with justice system and legal staff. Aims: The present article aimed to determine the perceptions of the legal support staff about the individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism. Materials and…