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Guidelines for a More Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice for Autism
This article came out of discussions between the authors about guidelines for a more neurodiversity-affirming practice for autism. The training that is discussed in this article was developed by the first author (Rebecca Rosenzweig). Authors’ note: As an autistic person working in a...
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The Importance of Thinking Developmentally in Educational Approaches
Educational approaches for autistic students are often categorized as either developmental or behavioral. (Prizant & Wetherby, 2005). Behavioral approaches utilize practices based on applied behavior analysis (ABA), and are used to change behavior: that is, to increase desirable behavior and...
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Increasing Inclusion in Biomarker Research
A new study being conducted by researchers in the McPartland Lab at the Yale Child Study Center is using technological advancements to bring biomarker discovery research to minimally verbal and cognitively impaired autistic individuals. These individuals have historically been underrepresented in...
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Beyond Baby Siblings: Why “Next Gen Sibs” Is Critical to Advancing Autism Research
In the late 1990s, evidence-based research made it clear that autism was heritable and younger siblings of kids with ASD were more likely to become diagnosed themselves. This was a tremendous breakthrough but led to further questions about how to better understand autism recurrence and features...
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Autism Prevalence Higher in CDC’s ADDM Network: Improvements Being Made in Identifying Children with Autism Early
One in 44 (2.3%) 8-year-old children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder according to an analysis of 2018 data published today in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Surveillance Summaries. This is higher than the previous estimate published in March 2020, which...
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Study Finds Children with Autism Respond Well to Puppets
A new study by researchers at the Yale Child Study Center demonstrates that puppets can attract and hold the attention of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), raising the potential for developing more engaging therapies that strengthen social engagement and facilitate learning. The...
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International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement Launches the First-Ever Global Standard Set to Enhance Care For Autism Spectrum Disorder
On September 7, 2021, the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) launched a standardized Autism Spectrum Disorder Standard Set (ASDSS). The rollout of this set marks an important, proactive step towards promoting data quality and availability across the industry. The ASDSS...
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Promoting Happiness in Autistic Individuals
The traditional approach to autism treatment and support is predominantly concerned with focusing on a person’s challenges, rather than building upon their strengths. Programs and services focus mainly upon eliminating or reducing socially inappropriate behavior, rather than developing practices...
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Screening for Anxiety and Depression in the Context of Challenging Behavior
Challenging behavior is common among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Challenging behavior includes tantrums, self-injurious behavior, noncompliance, and aggression, especially when they occur with heightened intensity or frequency (Machalicek et al., 2016). In addition, anxiety and...
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Autism @ Work: Insights From a World-First Global Study on Employing Autistic Adults
Since the emergence of Specialisterne, a growing number of multi-national organizations have implemented neurodiversity hiring programs including SAP, JP Morgan, Microsoft, IBM, and several others. Alongside them are the innovative pioneers within the social enterprise and...
