Sensory differences are well documented in autistic individuals. However, early sensory experiences have not been fully explored, particularly from the perspective of autistic people. We sought to understand early sensory experiences in autism from the perspective of autistic adults (some of whom also had autistic children) and caregivers of…

The Coventry Grid (CG) seeks to address clinicians' concerns over the misdiagnosis of autistic spectrum conditions (ASC) and attachment problems (AP). While literature exists exploring the clinical benefits of the CG, and recent modifications have included the Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile, its potential in the educational context…

Ensuring effective use of evidence-based practice (EBP) for autism in schools is imperative due to the significantly increasing number of autistic students receiving school services each year. High-quality EBP use has proven challenging in schools. Research indicates implementation climate, or how EBP are supported, rewarded, and valued, and EBP…

This study aimed to evaluate Promoting Reciprocal Relationships with Flexibility, Coaching, and Teaching (PRRFCT Match), a parent-mediated naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention package. An expansion from an earlier pilot study (see Kunze et al., 2021), PRRFCT Match incorporates virtual coaching between a novice coach and parent to…

The heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) clinically and aetiologically hinders intervention matching and prediction of outcomes. This study investigated if the behavioural, sensory, and perinatal factor profiles of autistic children could be used to identify distinct subgroups. Participants on the autism spectrum aged 2 to 17 years and…

Autistic individuals with higher support needs, including those with co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) and language impairment (LI), are underrepresented in research. Researchers who attempt to include this population face unique challenges regarding participant recruitment, informed consent, accurate measurement, and protecting privacy…

The study investigates the potential of AI-powered plush robots to serve as assistive technologies for children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) within educational and rehabilitation settings. It employed a qualitative research approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with 13 experts from related fields to gather insights into the…

Longitudinal research in autism has contributed a wealth of knowledge about etiological factors, development from childhood through adulthood, life course changes and needs, as well as longer-term adult outcomes for individuals on the spectrum and their family members. This research is essential to better understand the needs of individuals as…

Camouflaging ([un]consciously hiding one's autism traits) is hypothesized to be an underlying mechanism explaining elevated levels of mental health difficulties in autistic adults. As previous studies investigating this relationship were all cross-sectional, the direction of this association remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated whether (1)…

This study aims to understand experiences of inclusion for autistic school students. The study reports on findings from three surveys, one conducted in 2021 with the general population (N = 1983) and two conducted with parents/carers of autistic school students, one in 2020 (N = 2212) and one in 2021 (N = 528). The general population had a…

Young parents of children with autism spectrum condition (ASC) can find the task of parenting challenging, due to the frequently idiosyncratic behaviours of their children. Thus, improved awareness of these challenges is essential for young parents in order to bring about positive outcomes. This study conducted in-depth interviews with four…

In this study, we examined how variables such as the age of faculty members, autism awareness, and readiness to work with individuals with autism predict their attitudes toward individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. This study included 240 faculty members from various faculties. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analysis.…

Secondary education can be a challenging environment for autistic students. Previous investigations show that autistic learners go through negative and distressful school experiences, possibly due to a lack of identification and understanding of their unique needs. Yet, research on the needs of autistic students, and particularly from their own…

Autistic individuals are at greater risk of social rejection than non-autistic peers. On social media, adults with autism report an extreme sensitivity to social rejection. This qualitative study explored lived experiences of heightened rejection sensitivity in this population. Purposive sampling through social media was used to recruit 19…

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health challenges in autistic children, yet there is limited evidence on effective tools to measure treatment outcomes. Previous research with non-autistic children has found that the Child Anxiety Impact Scale, Parent Version achieved good diagnostic accuracy when measuring treatment outcomes and…