Autism Awareness Month, mandated by the United Nations (UN), provides an opportunity for scholars, community service providers, and the broader public to come together to increase community knowledge of autism. These events may help to reduce the stigma that surrounds this complex neuropsychological condition. China has been a UN member since 1945 and is committed to achieving the UN sustainable development goals that include supporting all members of society, including those on the autism spectrum. Autism is commonly referred to in Chinese as “孤独症” (gūdú zhèng), meaning “loneliness disorder” (Lao and Zhu, 2024). Many children with autism are educated outside of the mainstream education system. Integration classrooms are not yet commonplace, driven in part by the reluctance attributed to a high-stakes educational environment, the reluctance of a whole-school community to support students with autism, and a lack of professionals trained to support students with autism. Like their Western contemporaries, individuals with autism and their families often face discrimination, isolation, and bullying. The Chinese government has made efforts to support children with disabilities, including autism, through subsidies and integration policies.
Dr Monica Carr explained that there is no evidence behind the claims that autism is caused by childhood vaccinations
On April 27, 2025, Wenzhou-Kean University’s (WKU) College of Liberal Arts hosted a three-hour Autism Awareness Symposium. Wenzhou is described as a second-tier city (Bluente, 2025) with a population of 10 million people (eZhejiang, 2024). Wenzhou is home to one of three US-Sino universities, where foreign professors at WKU provide English language instruction in courses that mirror their partner university in New Jersey. Wenzhounese people, in a coastal city located 2.5 hours by bullet train to the South of Shanghai, are globally renowned for their savvy business acumen. The concise Autism Awareness forum brought members of the broader WKU community together with international academic experts, industry leaders from Wenzhou and across Zhejiang province, and advanced WKU psychology students to exchange evidence-based insights and practical strategies for supporting individuals on the autism spectrum.
The session opened with Carr’s overview, “What We Know and What We Must Do,” which framed current research findings and urgent priorities in autism studies. Senior psychology student Tang Aoyun then challenged entrenched stereotypes. Based on a series of informal interviews she conducted during the preparation of her lecture, she found that many people tend to equate autism with being withdrawn, unwilling to socialize, or fearful of interacting with others. However, such perceptions are overly simplistic, said Tang. In fact, according to the American Psychiatric Association (n.d.), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition characterized primarily by deficits in social communication, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. Individuals with ASD may struggle to interpret emotions, understand social cues, or express themselves using conventional non-verbal means such as facial expressions or gestures. Early signs can often be observed in infancy, though formal diagnosis is typically made between the ages of two and three. While ASD is generally considered a lifelong condition, symptoms may improve considerably over time, especially with early and effective intervention. Current evidence-based treatments include Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), social skills training, speech and language therapy, parent management programs, and special education services. Moreover, co-occurring psychological issues such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances are common and may require additional therapeutic support. “In the end, I would like to appeal to increased public awareness and the elimination of stereotypes, encouraging a more patient and comprehensive approach to individuals with autism in order to conduct a more supportive and understanding society,” said Tang.
Fellow Senior Psychology student Gao Yunchong distilled recent neural-mechanism research illuminating social and sensory processing differences in ASD. Gao reported that researchers encouraged the treatment of autism as a neurodiversity rather than a simple mental illness (Rosqvist et al., 2020). McKavanagh and colleagues (2015) found wider minicolumns in autism patients’ brain cortex. Minicolumn is a cortical microstructure, always considered the smallest functional model for processing information in the cortex (Mountcastle, 1997). The abnormal connection and structure of the minicolumn are the crucial reasons that caused disability in social interaction and communication, as well as specific patterns of behavior (Casanova et al., 2002). On the one hand, the fault change of minicolumn caused patients to lose remarkable ability. On the other hand, these changes can be attributed to genes trying to evolve, Gao explained. Hyper-connection of neurons causes specific talent; some functional autism patients show spectacular calculating ability. In short, these abnormal connections enhance a part of cognitive ability but influence whole cognition (Mottron et al., 2006). Thus, minicolumn anomaly may not be an error but an unbalanced phenomenon in high specializing in neurosystems, said Gao. He went on to explain that treating autism as a neurodiversity can address some of the drawbacks of regarding autism as a disease in China. Compared to the USA, the Chinese have a lack of understanding of autism, and the stigmatization of it is even more severe (Yu et al., 2020). Han et al. (2024) pointed out that society’s pathological understanding of autism has exacerbated parents’ psychological pressure and sense of shame, leading to family isolation and concealment of diagnosis. “All in all, we confirm that guiding people to view autism as a form of neurodiversity can improve people’s perception of autism. People will realize autism patients’ potential and talent rather than be desperate to cure it,” Gao concluded.
Senior Psychology student Aoyun Tang emphasized the need to eliminate simplified stereotypes, and build public awareness
- Liu, founder of Hangzhou Xingxing Lele, demonstrated assistive technologies—from speech-generating apps to wearable sensors—that enhance daily functioning and support the independence of people with autism. Mdm. Zhang, a local policymaker and autism advocate, outlined Wenzhou’s most recent legislative supports for people with disabilities. Finally, Mdm. Li Yanyan presented the “StarUnite Café” case study, where young adults with autism develop vocational skills and social confidence through café and community farm operations. The café opened in November 2024 and has proven to be life-changing for the young men and women employees. Since graduating from their special education schooling, they suffered a period of isolation and loneliness. Now, they have regained their sense of purpose, ignited their passion for coffee, and acquired the job skills necessary to earn their living wage. The autistic employees have been trained using principles of behavior modification from the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, including behavior skills training, chaining, video self-modeling, and positive reinforcement for their efforts to successfully perform a variety of café tasks from making perfect latte art to serving customers at the table.
Guided by master’s in psychology student research assistants Xu Yang and Wang Ling, over 100 attendees completed a 37-item Autism Knowledge & Stigma questionnaire (ASK-Q-2) (Harrison, Madison, & Campbell, 2024) before and after the event. This research aims to develop a baseline of autism knowledge and beliefs about stigma and monitor progress in these areas in this environment. Section C of the questionnaire used at this Autism Awareness symposium invited volunteers for follow-up focus-group interviews. Response rates were around 80%, reflecting the positive attitudes and tremendous enthusiasm of the WKU students to make meaningful contributions as student researchers to support their autistic community in Wenzhou and beyond. Analysis of these mixed-methods data will identify research gaps, inform future community outreach, and assist in developing finely tuned intervention programs.
Prof. Gacasan’s segment highlighted community campaigns aimed at raising public awareness and reducing stigma. Prof. Anwar showcased pictorial communication systems (e.g., PECS) to empower nonverbal learners. A closing panel allowed participants to pose targeted questions, and Prof. Li offered final reflections before a group photograph. Attendees left feeling both inspired and better equipped with actionable ideas for implementation in schools, clinics, and community settings.
By bringing conversations about autism into the students discourse we aim to increase these future professionals’ awareness about what autism may look like. This is a crucial step towards reducing the stigma that surrounds autism for people with autism and their families and guiding the next generation of professionals to identify and utilize evidence-based support strategies. As UN member nations, both the United States and China share a common vision to support their autistic populations in reaching their full potential. By reducing stigma, we can promote greater inclusion and foster acceptance, thus building the type of sustainable society envisioned by the UN.
Dr. Monica E. Carr is an A. Professor at Wenzhou Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, a Member of the Board of Directors, Genesis School for Special Education, Singapore, a Consulting Editor for Preventing School Failure, and an Editorial Board Member for Autism Spectrum News. For more information, please email mcarr.phd@gmail.com.
References
American Psychiatric Association. (n.d.). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM). retrieved 4.24.25 from https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm
Bluente. Introduction to City Tiers in China. retrieved 5.12.25 from https://www.bluente.com/post/introduction-to-city-tiers-in-china
Casanova, M. F., Buxhoeveden, D. P., Switala, A. E., & Roy, E. (2002). Minicolumnar pathology in autism. Neurology, 58(3), 428–432. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.58.3.428
ezhejiang.gov.cn. Wenzhou’s population reaches 9.76m (February 28, 2024 ) retrieved 5.12.25 from http://www.ezhejiang.gov.cn/wenzhou/2024-02/28/c_965996.htm
Han Lin., Ye Yanli., Rong Huang., & Wu Yanling. (2024). Analysis of the Current Situation and Influencing Factors of Social Isolation among Parents of Children with Autism. EBSCOhost. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1009-5519.2024.22.019
Harrison, A. J., Madison, M., & Campbell, J. (2024). The development of the Autism Stigma and Knowledge Questionnaire, Second edition (ASK-Q-2), through a cross-cultural psychometric investigation. Autism, 29(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241270916.
Lao and Zhu (2024). Autism: A review of conceptual changes and perception studies of Autism and related terminology. http://doi:10.3969/j.issn.0253-9802.2024.12.012
McKavanagh R, Buckley E, Chance SA. Wider minicolumns in autism: a neural basis for altered processing? Brain. 2015 Jul;138(Pt 7):2034-45. doi: 10.1093/brain/awv110. Epub 2015 May 1. PMID: 25935724.
Mottron, L., Dawson, M., Soulières, I., Hubert, B., & Burack, J. (2006). Enhanced Perceptual Functioning in Autism: An Update, and Eight Principles of Autistic Perception. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36(1), 27–43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-005-0040-7
Mountcastle, V. (1997). The columnar organization of the neocortex. Brain, 120(4), 701–722. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/120.4.701
Rosqvist, H., Stenning, A., Rosqvist, N., Chown, A., Chown, N., Jackson-Perry, D., Layton, J., Kourti, M., Chapman, R., Hart, A., Belmonte, M., Huijg, D., Hutto, D., Jurgens, A., Annable, J., Martin, N., Nilsson, K., Örulv, L., Seng, H., & Waltz, M. (2020). Neurodiversity studies. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429322297
Yu, L., Stronach, S., & Harrison, A. J. (2020). Public knowledge and stigma of autism spectrum disorder: Comparing China with the United States. Autism, 24(6), 1531–1545. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361319900839
Zhang, Y. (2024). Xi’s lasting support inspires faculties. China Daily. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202406/15/WS666cce09a31095c51c509094.html Retrieved 11/28/2024
