Autism最新文献

{"title":"Longitudinal Examination of Wandering in Children and Adolescents With Autism.","authors":"Lisa D Wiggins, Carolyn DiGuiseppi, Katherine Overwyk, Patrick Powell, Angela Thompson-Paul, Eric Moody, Cy Nadler, Nuri Reyes, Sarah Tinker","doi":"10.1177/13623613261459642","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261459642","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wandering - or leaving a supervised space and/or care of a responsible person - disproportionately affects children with autism and can lead to serious injury. We describe parent-reported wandering in children with autism in early childhood and adolescence and characterize wandering in adolescence. Of 258 teens with autism enrolled in the Study to Explore Early Development, caregivers reported that 45% never wandered, 41% wandered only in early childhood, and 14% wandered at least once in adolescence (including 9% that wandered at both time points). Childhood externalizing behavior problems were positively associated with wandering only in early childhood and at least once in adolescence compared to never wandered (both <i>p</i> < .01). Adolescents who wandered most often left public places (58.3%). To address wandering, caregivers most often added home locks/alarms (30.6%) and least often placed a tracking device (8.3%) on the adolescent. In conclusion, wandering is less common among adolescents than young children with autism but still presents opportunities for intervention. These findings can help partners communicate that childhood externalizing behavior problems are associated with wandering regardless of age and promote awareness of and access to interventions that can improve health and safety.Lay AbstractWandering occurs when a child leaves a safe space. Children with autism wander more than other children. This can lead to serious injury. We describe wandering in children and adolescents with autism. In total, 258 teens with autism were included in the analysis. Caregivers reported that 45% never wandered, 41% wandered only in early childhood, and 14% wandered at least once in adolescence (including 9% that wandered at both time points). Children with behaviors like hyperactivity were more likely to wander in both early childhood and adolescence. Adolescents who wandered most often left public places (58.3%). To address wandering, caregivers most often added home locks/alarms (30.6%) and least often placed a tracking device (8.3%) on the adolescent. In sum, wandering is less common among adolescents than young children with autism. However, we can still help families with adolescents with autism who wander. One way to help these families is to educate people that behavior problems like hyperactivity are associated with wandering regardless of age. Another way to help these families is to increase ways to address wandering away from the home to keep adolescents with autism safe.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2107-2116"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13455034/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148366941","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Specialist Resource Centres as Protective Microsystems: A Qualitative Comparative Case Study of Autistic Pupils' Experiences in Mainstream Secondary Schools.","authors":"Alice Boddy, Anna Cook","doi":"10.1177/13623613261457949","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261457949","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Autistic pupils in mainstream secondary schools face significant barriers to academic progress, social engagement, and mental wellbeing, with parents consistently reporting that their children's autism-related needs are not being met. This qualitative comparative case study examined what shapes the educational experiences of autistic pupils in secondary schools with Specialist Resource Centres (SRCs) versus comparable mainstream settings without specialist provision. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems framework, the study explored how multiple layers of influence - ranging from classroom practices to societal attitudes - interact to support or undermine inclusion. Data were collected across seven secondary schools (five SRC schools, two mainstream schools without SRCs) in South-East England via interviews with pupils, parents, and staff. Findings revealed that SRCs functioned as protective microsystems, providing predictable environments, visible support, and trusted relationships that buffered pupils from sensory and social demands. Key protective features included consistent staffing, flexible policies, and normalised support-seeking. However, systemic challenges - including workforce shortages, inadequate mental health services, and resource limitations - constrained the impact of even the most effective school initiatives. The study underscores that effective inclusion requires coordinated support spanning immediate school environments to broader policy frameworks, with implications for admission criteria, staff training, and inter-agency collaboration.Lay AbstractMany autistic young people struggle in secondary school, facing difficulties with academic work, making friends, and managing their mental health. Parents often report that schools don't properly understand or support their children's needs. This study explored what makes school better or worse for autistic pupils by comparing two different types of schools: those with specialist autism units (called Specialist Resource Centres) and regular mainstream schools without these units. We spoke to autistic pupils, their parents, and school staff across seven schools in South-East England to understand their experiences. We found that specialist autism units acted like \"protective spaces\" within schools, providing quieter spaces, clearer routines, and staff who understood autism. These units helped manage sensory demands and social pressures. Pupils could use these spaces when they felt stressed and gradually build confidence to spend more time in mainstream classes. However, we also discovered that broader problems in the education system - like staff shortages, lack of mental health support, and limited resources - affected all schools, regardless of whether they had specialist units. Many autistic pupils still experienced high levels of anxiety and felt they had to hide their autistic traits to fit in. Our findings suggest that while specialist autism units can be helpful, ","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2079-2094"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13392175/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148366567","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding Autistic Adults' Psychological Experiences of Anxiety Problems: A Qualitative Interview Study.","authors":"Rebecca J Roberts-Davis, Francesca G Happé, Alex Lau-Zhu","doi":"10.1177/13623613261455375","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261455375","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Our understanding of psychological experiences of anxiety in autism could be improved if it were shaped by autistic individuals. However, anxiety research in autism often begins with cognitive conceptualisations drawn from neurotypical or non-autistic individuals. This qualitative study aimed to explore psychological experiences of anxiety using semi-structured one-to-one interviews with a diverse sample of 20 U.K.-based, autistic adults, aged 18-55 years. Transcripts were analysed using two complementary methods: conceptual content analysis, where existing theories were tested against the data with predefined codes; and reflexive thematic analysis, where meaning was constructed from the data while considering research subjectivity. Our sample highly endorsed existing cognitive constructs: intolerance of uncertainty (100% of participants), repetitive negative thinking (100%), attentional biases (70%) and intrusive mental imagery (70%). Some autism-specific characteristics were indicated. The endorsement of imagery is particularly striking given claims that autism is often associated with weak imagery. Autistic adults described the way in which being autistic interacted with anxiety, through psychological and lived experiences. Existing support for anxiety problems was deemed insufficient and may be improved by further refining our understanding of anxiety in autism through future quantitative and qualitative research.Lay AbstractAnxiety is a top priority for research for the autistic community. We could increase our understanding of what might contribute to anxiety problems in autism by speaking to autistic people and learning about the different experiences they have had. We interviewed 20 U.K.-based autistic adults (aged 18-55 years) and asked them about their anxiety problems, including how they felt about well-known ideas of what might be involved in anxiety in autism. We looked at the answers to the interviews in two ways. The first way considers what autistic people think about the well-known ideas. The second way looks at similarities in the answers that autistic people gave. All participants' anxiety problems involved repeated negative thoughts and struggling with uncertain situations. Most also said that they tend to focus on noises or other sensory experiences within their environment and imagine situations in their mind when they are anxious. Being autistic came with challenges that could make them more anxious, including struggling with changes to routine and being bullied. Autistic people described how anxiety made their life difficult and ways in which current support for anxiety is not helpful enough. We discuss ways that we could better understand anxiety in autism and improve the support given to autistic people.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2117-2129"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13392183/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148534973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Views of Autistic Adults on Early Autism Interventions: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Literature Review.","authors":"Elizaveta Nosova, Alexandra Sturrock, Neil Humphrey, Kathy Leadbitter","doi":"10.1177/13623613261460931","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261460931","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For many years, early autism interventions were developed without the involvement of autistic people. This review explores the views and experiences of autistic adults regarding psychosocial/educational interventions for young autistic children. Four databases (Web of Science Core Collection, Education Resource Information Centre, Education Database and PsycINFO) were searched; 19 studies were identified. Quality appraisal was performed using the Quality Assessment with Diverse Studies tool. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic synthesis. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive narrative synthesis, including textual description, tabulation and a visual representation. Five themes were developed among studies with qualitative data: &lt;i&gt;Hear the child's voice, Let the child be a child, Celebrate autistic lives, Understand autistic challenge&lt;/i&gt;s and, finally, a cross-cutting theme, &lt;i&gt;Damage done&lt;/i&gt;, on negative experiences of autistic people who underwent early interventions. In studies with quantitative data, autistic people endorsed well-being, adult support/accessibility and reducing harmful behaviours, and did not endorse outcomes related to reducing autism traits. We conclude that, according to autistic adults, early interventions should take an autism-affirmative approach, be developmentally appropriate and foster self-determination. Given that the present research included studies from varied cultures and backgrounds, further research is required to examine how individual differences influence perspectives on interventions.Lay AbstractOur study aimed to understand what earlier studies found when they asked autistic adults for their views on intervention and support for young autistic children. We were interested in the views of autistic adults whether they had taken part in early interventions or not. After searching through online records, we found 19 relevant studies. We evaluated the quality of the studies and then separated qualitative (text-based) and quantitative (number-based) data. In studies with qualitative data, we found five themes. &lt;i&gt;Hear the child's voice&lt;/i&gt; talks about child's assent, &lt;i&gt;Let the child be a child&lt;/i&gt; addresses support being play-based and fun, &lt;i&gt;Celebrate autistic lives&lt;/i&gt; focuses on autism acceptance and &lt;i&gt;Understand autistic challenge&lt;/i&gt;s examines making society more accessible. &lt;i&gt;Damage done&lt;/i&gt; outlines the negative experiences of autistic people who took part in early interventions. Studies with quantitative data were very different to each other, so we described their similar aspects. In four quantitative studies, autistic people rated intervention goals based on how good or important the goal is for the child. Autistic people said the best/most important goals focused on safety, child well-being and adult support. The worst/least important goals focused on changing autism characteristics such as stimming and eye contact. A graph was made to show this. We need more researc","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"1924-1939"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13392167/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148395766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Teachers' Readiness and Collective Efficacy for Autism Inclusion: Insights From Oman and Egypt.","authors":"Mahmoud Emam, Mahmoud Ismael, Laila Al Salmi, Wafaa Mohammed Moawad Abd-El-Aal, Dalia Gaafar, Adel Hemdan","doi":"10.1177/13623613261455371","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261455371","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This study examined how teachers' perceptions of autism inclusion, Collective Efficacy, and national context relate to readiness for autism-inclusive teaching in mainstream schools in Egypt and Oman. Guided by social cognitive theory, readiness was conceptualized in two dimensions: Professional Knowledge and affective readiness. Survey data were collected from 436 teachers using validated Arabic versions of established measures of inclusive perceptions, teacher readiness, and Collective Efficacy. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that demographic characteristics explained limited variance, and teaching experience was not a significant predictor. Teachers' perceptions made the largest incremental contribution to both readiness outcomes. The final models explained substantial variance in Professional Knowledge (R² = .455) and affective readiness (R² = .448). Collective Efficacy added explanatory power and moderated selected relationships: It strengthened the association between positive Sentiments and Professional Knowledge, the association between Attitudes and affective readiness, and intensified the negative association between Concerns and affective readiness. Cross-national comparisons showed higher Professional Knowledge and affective readiness among teachers in Oman. National context moderated selected pathways predicting affective readiness, but not Professional Knowledge. Overall, the findings highlight the combined role of teacher beliefs, Collective Efficacy, and national context in shaping readiness for autism-inclusive classrooms.Lay AbstractAs more autistic students are educated in mainstream classrooms, teachers play a crucial role in making inclusion successful. This study explored what shapes teachers' readiness to teach autistic students in schools in Egypt and Oman. Readiness was considered in two ways: teachers' Professional Knowledge about how to support autistic students and their emotional and motivational readiness to include them in everyday classroom activities. A total of 436 teachers completed questionnaires about their views on autism inclusion, their Concerns and Attitudes, their sense of teamwork within their schools, and how ready they felt to teach autistic students. The results showed that teachers' personal beliefs about inclusion were the strongest predictors of readiness. Teachers who reported more positive attitudes and supportive Sentiments toward inclusion also reported higher levels of Professional Knowledge and affective readiness. In contrast, teachers who reported stronger Concerns, such as worries about classroom demands, behavior management, or limited resources, tended to report lower readiness to support autistic students. Background characteristics, such as years of teaching experience, were only weakly related to readiness. The school environment also played an important role. Teachers who believed that staff in their school could work together effectively felt more capable and prepared ","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2038-2050"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148300812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Therapy and Antidepressant Use in 8- to 29-Year-Old Autistic Medicaid Enrollees With Depression.","authors":"Meghan E Carey, Laura Graham Holmes, Lindsay L Shea, David S Mandell, Diana Schendel, Brian K Lee, Kristen Lyall","doi":"10.1177/13623613261453106","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261453106","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Promoting access to effective depression treatment represents a crucial opportunity to mitigate increased suicide risk. We examined treatment trajectories for 8- to 29-year-old autistic enrollees of Medicaid, the U.S. safety net insurance program, with a new claim for major depressive disorder (MDD; &lt;i&gt;N&lt;/i&gt; = 44,074). Using group-based trajectory modeling, we identified groups with similar probabilities of receiving psychotherapy or antidepressants in the 5 months following their new MDD claim - a period of acute treatment need. We also examined odds of trajectory group membership by demographic factors and co-occurring intellectual disability (ID) using multinomial logistic regression. Trajectory modeling suggested existence of four treatment trajectories: no/limited treatment (39%), gradual treatment decline (21%), late treatment initiation (14%), and continuous treatment (25%). Adjusted odds of continuous treatment, relative to no/limited treatment, were lower for Black enrollees (odds ratio [OR]: 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.59, 0.68]), Hispanic enrollees (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: [0.54, 0.62]), and those with co-occurring ID (OR: 0.84, 95% CI: [0.79, 0.89]), and highest for 8- to 12-year-olds (OR: 1.80, 95% CI: [1.60, 2.03]) and females (OR: 1.15, 95% CI: [1.09, 1.21]). Many Medicaid-enrolled autistic people do not receive depression treatment. Improving treatment in autistic enrollees requires varied and multi-faceted approaches that must consider demographic and clinical factors.Lay AbstractWe wanted to know if autistic people on Medicaid get therapy or antidepressants after being diagnosed with depression. We also looked at whether people who are also diagnosed with intellectual disability, are female, are children, or are Black or Hispanic are more or less likely to get this care. Earlier studies show that just over half of the people on Medicaid get any treatment after being diagnosed with depression. But no one has looked closely at autistic people on Medicaid. Getting treatment can help reduce depression symptoms and may lower the risk of suicide. In our study, we looked at autistic people on Medicaid who were newly diagnosed with depression. We tracked whether they got therapy or antidepressants over the next 5 months. We grouped people based on how much treatment they got. The largest group (39%) got no treatment. The second group (21%) started treatment but did not continue for all 5 months. The third group (14%) started treatment around the third month and kept going for 2 months. The last group (25%) got treatment for all 5 months. Autistic people who were Black, Hispanic, or had intellectual disability were least likely to get enough treatment. Autistic children and females were most likely to get enough treatment. In short, many autistic people are not getting the care they need for depression. Some may not get enough treatment to feel better. This can make depression last longer and raise the risk of suicide. We need","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2025-2037"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13278382/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148263109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Shared Musical Practice in a Neurodiverse Setting Can Reshape How People Think About Autism.","authors":"Nicolas Petit, Marie-Maude Geoffray-Cassar, Paola Piccolo, Lucie Jurek","doi":"10.1177/13623613261452693","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261452693","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In line with the neurodiversity paradigm, the social difficulties experienced by autistic individuals are increasingly seen as the result of a mutual misunderstanding across different neurotypes, rather than deficits inherent to autistic individuals. This underscores the need to design inclusive spaces and educate people about autism, which remains a challenge. Previous qualitative evidence suggests that neurodiverse choir experiences may provide an opportunity to address this challenge. In this study, 12 adult choristers participated in a 6-month choir practice alongside eight autistic adolescents and three autism specialists. We assessed whether their representation of autism evolved, using a set of questionnaires before and after participation. The results indicate that participants' representations of autism became richer, more accurate, and more aligned with a difference rather than a deficit model. Participants felt more able and inclined to interact with other neurodivergent individuals after sharing this experience. Although preliminary, these findings lend support to the neurodiversity paradigm and offer promising perspectives for addressing the double empathy problem. They highlight the importance of designing inclusive spaces within our societies and illustrate how choral singing may be a particular tool to foster inclusion.Lay AbstractA choir is a powerful metaphor for a successful neurodiverse society, in which achievement stems from blending together voices that are different, rather than from everyone singing the same line in the same way. This study explores a real-life example of this metaphor: a neurodiverse choir composed of 12 adult choristers, 8 autistic adolescents, and 3 professionals specialized in autism. The choir rehearsed for 6 months and then performed a few shows under the direction of a professional choir director. More specifically, we tracked the experience of the 12 adult choristers, using a set of questionnaires before and after their participation in the choir. Consistent with previous qualitative evidence, the results demonstrate a measurable shift in their representation of autism: they understood it better and perceived it more as a neutral &lt;i&gt;difference&lt;/i&gt; (from typical development) than a &lt;i&gt;deficit&lt;/i&gt;. After participating in this choir, the choristers also felt more able and more inclined to interact with other neurodivergent individuals. These findings lend support to the neurodiversity paradigm, which values autism as a set of natural variations in human neurocognitive functioning. In this view, the social difficulties encountered by autistic individuals can be considered the result of a &lt;i&gt;mutual misunderstanding&lt;/i&gt; between autistic and non-autistic people, a problem known as the \"double empathy problem.\" Our results show that the choristers tended to naturally embrace this view. Thus, this preliminary study provides a promising perspective to address this problem, using choral singing as a na","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2137-2142"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13392171/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148209926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Autistic Parents' Experiences Accessing Parenting Support: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis of Qualitative Research.","authors":"John V Rider, Anne Honey, Abigail E LaVerdure, Veronica O'Mara, Margaret McGrath","doi":"10.1177/13623613261464212","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613261464212","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The experiences of autistic adults accessing parenting-related support remain underexplored, particularly in relation to how formal systems shape access and engagement. This qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis synthesized 12 studies to examine how autistic parents perceive, navigate, and engage with formal parenting supports. Using thematic synthesis, five interrelated themes were identified: (1) judged, dismissed, and misinterpreted as parents; (2) the emotional and practical labor of accessing support; (3) doing it alone: self-reliance, preparation, and emotional cost; (4) service misfit; and (5) when support works: respect, clarity, and autism-informed adaptation. Findings highlight how barriers to parenting support arise through interactions with formal systems, extending prior research on autistic parenting and underscoring the need for rights-based, neurodiversity-affirming, and parent-centric approaches to parenting support, including autism-specific training, co-designed services, and accommodations that reduce burden and foster safe, collaborative partnerships with autistic parents.Lay AbstractMany autistic adults are parents, but their experiences getting help with parenting are not well understood. Most parenting programs and services were designed with non-autistic (neurotypical) parents in mind. This can make support feel confusing, overwhelming, or even unsafe for autistic parents, especially when services do not consider sensory needs, communication preferences, or fears about being judged. In this study, we brought together findings from 12 qualitative research articles that shared the voices of autistic parents. We read the parents' own words and the original authors' descriptions, then used a structured approach to identify patterns across the studies. We identified five main ideas. First, many autistic parents felt judged or misunderstood by professionals, who sometimes questioned their parenting ability because of their autism. Second, parents often had to spend a lot of time and energy explaining their needs, pushing for help, and navigating complicated systems. Third, when support was not available, or they did not feel safe, parents often \"did it alone,\" researching and problem-solving by themselves, sometimes at the cost of their own well-being and family enjoyment. Fourth, services often did not fit the needs of autistic parents. Finally, parents also described what good support looks like: clear and honest communication, respect for their expertise, practical help, and professionals who understand autism. Overall, this review shows that systems need to change, not autistic parents. Services should be designed with autistic parents, not just for them, and should recognize parenting as an important and meaningful part of autistic adults' lives.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"13623613261464212"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148576749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"School-Based Participatory Research with Autistic Children and Young People: A Systematic Review of Approaches, Methods, and Outcomes.","authors":"Chloe Johnson, Clare Wood, David Daley, Lai-Sang Iao","doi":"10.1177/13623613261460932","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613261460932","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Participatory research offers a promising means to understand how autistic children and young people (CYP) can be supported and to co-create services or resources that meet their needs. While widely valued, evidence on the most effective ways to meaningfully engage autistic CYP, and on whether and how findings reach educators, is limited. This systematic review narratively synthesises studies reporting the use of school-based participatory research with autistic CYP and reports the approaches, methods, and outcomes of such projects. Initial searches across five databases yielded 1,515 results. After removal of duplicates, 493 studies were screened by abstract and title, and full-text screening was conducted on studies (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 48) that appeared to meet the inclusion criteria. Studies that met pre-identified eligibility criteria (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 22), and studies identified through backward citation (&lt;i&gt;n&lt;/i&gt; = 2), were included. Creative idea generation, tangible methods, and visual methods are particularly effective for engaging this demographic. However, it was difficult to determine broader implications for schools, as few researchers reported sharing findings with educators. Findings highlight the potential for participatory research, if carefully designed and consistently shared with educators and decision-makers, to contribute to more inclusive schools responsive to the needs and strengths of autistic CYP.Lay AbstractParticipatory research means working &lt;i&gt;with&lt;/i&gt; communities rather than doing research &lt;i&gt;on&lt;/i&gt; them. In the context of autism, this approach involves collaborating directly with autistic children and young people to understand how schools can better support them and to co-create services or resources that meet their needs. While participatory approaches are widely valued, there is limited evidence on the most effective ways to meaningfully involve autistic children and young people in research. In this review, we examined how participatory research has been carried out with autistic children and young people in school settings. We searched five electronic databases for studies published between 2014 and 2024. From these searches, we found 1,515 studies. We then removed studies that were the same, which left us with 493. We then checked the abstract and titles of these 493 studies to see if we should include them in our review. We then read full texts for 48 studies and included 22. By checking the reference lists of the included studies, we identified two additional studies, bringing the total to 24. We found that different ways of involving autistic children and young people in research can work in school settings. Creative idea generation, tangible methods, and visual methods were particularly effective for helping them take part. However, many studies did not report whether findings were shared back with schools, making it difficult to assess broader impacts. Overall, our review highlights the potential for participato","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"13623613261460932"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148534989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When Ableism Supplants Evidence: Federal Autism Guidance in the United States.","authors":"Kristen Bottema-Beutel","doi":"10.1177/13623613261439928","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613261439928","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"1657-1662"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147653526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}