Autism最新文献

{"title":"'Picking the best of a bad bunch': Exploring stakeholder perspectives of self-harm assessment tools for autistic adults.","authors":"Victoria Newell, Caroline Richards, Sarah Cassidy","doi":"10.1177/13623613251348555","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251348555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Autistic people are at greater risk of self-harm than non-autistic people, yet no tools exist specifically for assessing self-harm in this population. We therefore conducted two focus groups with autistic adults (n = 5) and professionals (n = 4) to examine their perspectives on three existing self-harm assessment tools (Non-Suicidal Self-Injury - Assessment Tool, Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury and Questionnaire for Non-Suicidal Self-Injury). Using a reflexive thematic analysis, we found one overarching theme - 'picking the best of a bad bunch' - where participants acknowledged some strengths of the tools, but multiple limitations outweighed these. Subthemes included cognitive considerations (e.g. complexity, length, working memory demands, introspection), missing elements (e.g. broader self-harm behaviours, functions, context, support) and challenges in conceptualising self-harm, particularly around intentionality and stimming. Participants also stressed the importance of addressing stigma, considering co-occurring conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and intellectual disabilities and upholding a duty of care. Overall, findings show that existing self-harm assessment tools are not appropriate or acceptable for autistic adults who self-harm, indicating a clear need for a new self-harm assessment tool developed with and for autistic people.Lay abstract<b>The perspectives of autistic adults and professionals on existing self-harm assessment tools</b>Self-harm is defined as when someone intentionally hurts or poisons themselves, regardless of the reason. This can include suicide attempts as well as behaviours such as cutting, hitting or burning as a way to express or manage difficult feelings. Concerningly, autistic people are more likely to self-harm than non-autistic people, but there are currently no tools specifically designed to assess self-harm in this group. This makes it harder for researchers and service providers to identify autistic people who self-harm and offer the right support or treatment. Previous studies have suggested that three existing self-harm assessment tools could be adapted for autistic people, but it is unclear what autistic adults and professionals think about these tools. We conducted two focus groups: one with autistic adults who have self-harmed and another with professionals who work with autistic people who self-harm. Both groups felt that none of the three tools were suitable for autistic people. They explained that some questions might be harder for autistic people to answer, such as those requiring them to remember specific details or identify their emotions. They also noted the tools missed out on important aspects of the autistic experience, like managing sensory and social overload. Both groups highlighted that self-harm is complex and discussed the overlap with behaviours such as stimming (e.g. repetitive movements or sounds). They emphasised the importance of a supportive a","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2791-2803"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324418","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":"Application of psychological behavioural therapies in improving oral health for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.","authors":"Phoebe Py Lam, Elise Hoi Wan Fok, Megan Yuen Tung Chan, Colman Patrick McGrath, Cynthia Kar Yung Yiu","doi":"10.1177/13623613251372276","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251372276","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This systematic review aimed to summarize the current evidence on the effectiveness of various psychological behavioural therapies in improving oral hygiene maintenance habits and oral health among children with autism. Independent screening and study selection, data extraction, risk of bias assessment, and evaluation of the certainty of evidence were conducted. A total of 16 studies were deemed eligible for qualitative synthesis, with 9 included in quantitative analyses. Psychological behavioural therapies including visual pedagogies, social stories, components of PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) and Applied Behavioural Analysis, as well as the use of smart device applications all demonstrated improvement in oral health parameters following implementation. However, most studies lacked control groups and exhibited a high risk of bias due to the lack of reporting or failure to account for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity and associated comorbidities. In addition, studies typically relied on caregivers to carry out reinforcement of therapies, which may explain the significant heterogeneity observed. In summary, the evidence supporting the use of psychoeducational techniques to improve the oral health parameters of autistic children is limited and of very low certainty. Further research utilizing larger-scale studies and more rigorous study designs is necessary to enhance the certainty of evidence in this field.Lay abstractThis review looked at existing studies to see how effective different psychological and behavioural therapies are in helping children with autism take better care of their teeth and maintain good oral health. The researchers carefully selected and analysed 16 studies, with 9 of those used for detailed analysis. The therapies examined included visual tools, social stories, parts of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), and smartphone apps. Overall, these approaches showed some improvements in oral health. However, many of the studies had weaknesses, such as not having control groups or not fully considering the severity of the autistic conditions or if other medical conditions are present. In short, the current evidence that these therapies help improve oral health in children with autism is limited and not very strong. More high-quality research with larger groups of children is needed to better understand what works best.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2662-2676"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145074191","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":"Decolonizing autism research: Integrating Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing.","authors":"Grant Bruno, Anne Lindblom, Jessica Tupou, Fran Kewene, T C Waisman, Iliana Magiati","doi":"10.1177/13623613251382398","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251382398","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2637-2643"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145243519","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":"'Adolescence kicked in . . . and you need help again': A qualitative study of the experiences of parents of autistic teenagers with mental health difficulties or behaviours that challenge.","authors":"Suzanne Mukherjee, Bryony Beresford","doi":"10.1177/13623613251351040","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251351040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Relatively little is known about the experiences of parents of autistic teenagers, with the existing research on this life stage principally about transition. This study sought to address this gap. It focused specifically on parents of autistic teenagers with mental health difficulties and/or behaviours that challenge (MHD/BC). The study design was qualitative and used in-depth interviews to collect data. Thirty-three parents of 31 teenagers (15-19 years) living in the United Kingdom were purposively sampled and recruited from an existing research cohort. A thematic analysis was undertaken, adopting the framework method. Parents typically reported the emergence of new MHD/BC, or existing difficulties becoming more severe, during the teenage years. At the same time, they described feeling de-skilled and uncertain about how best to support their child. Many parents also referred to deteriorations in their own physical and emotional health. Very few had accessed beneficial professional support during this period. Findings add weight to the case for increasing support to parents of autistic teenagers, and the need to work preventatively to reduce the risks of MHD/BC emerging or increasing in severity during the teenage years.Lay abstractBeing a teenager can be challenging for any young person, and it is during this stage of life that most mental health difficulties (MHDs) emerge. The teenage years can be even more demanding for autistic young people who are known to experience more emotional distress and MHDs than their neurotypical peers. Parents are an important source of support for most children and young people, including those who are autistic. It therefore surprising that there is very little research on the experiences of parents of autistic teenagers. Most of the research that has been carried out is specifically about leaving school or moving from children's to adult services. The purpose of this research was to understand the experiences of parents of an autistic teenager with mental health difficulties or behaviours that challenge (MHD/BC). We interviewed 33 parents of 31 teenagers aged between 15 and 19 years. Most parents said their child experienced new or more severe MHD/BC during their teenage years. This was upsetting to witness and caused them a lot of worry. Many described not knowing how best to respond. Others said that their efforts to support their child were unsuccessful. The difficulties parents experienced had an impact on their day-to-day lives and many said their own physical and emotional health had worsened as a result. Very few parents had received help from mental health or social services. The findings highlight the importance of supporting parents of autistic teenagers, including intervening to support autistic teenagers.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2691-2702"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12531384/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144940639","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":"'Feeling constantly kicked down': A qualitative phenomenological study exploring rejection sensitivity in autistic adults.","authors":"Alvin van Asselt, Yvette Roke, Sander M Begeer, Anke M Scheeren","doi":"10.1177/13623613251376893","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251376893","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;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 autistic adults aged 21-71 (11 women, 8 men) who self-reported heightened rejection sensitivity. Face-to-face or online semi-structured interviews were held. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was utilized to analyse the data, and synthesized member checking was conducted to ensure data accuracy. Participants described their rejection sensitivity as profoundly overwhelming, exhausting emotions and thoughts when anticipating or perceiving rejection and criticism. These responses could be accompanied by physical tension, pain and reliving past rejections. Its intensity varied greatly depending on contextual factors (e.g. baseline mood and topic of rejection) and was frequently invalidated. Identified predisposing factors included inherent autistic traits and lifelong rejection experiences. Many strategies were employed to alleviate these challenges, including therapy, with varying success. The participants' lived experiences show that heightened rejection sensitivity can be a debilitating yet overlooked experience in autistic adults. Further quantitative research is needed to study its prevalence, predisposing factors, impact and potential interventions.Lay abstract&lt;b&gt;Understanding rejection sensitivity in autistic adults: An interview study to gather insights from lived experiences&lt;/b&gt;&lt;b&gt;Why was this study done?&lt;/b&gt;Autistic individuals are more likely to face rejection and criticism than non-autistic individuals. How stressful these events are can depend on their rejection sensitivity. People with higher rejection sensitivity are more anxious about being rejected, are quicker to think that they are being rejected and have stronger reactions when rejection happens. Some autistic adults on social media describe their rejection sensitivity as extreme. This study aimed to better understand how these adults with autism experience their rejection sensitivity and how it affects their daily lives.&lt;b&gt;What did the researchers do?&lt;/b&gt;We interviewed 19 adults with autism, aged 21 to 71, who experience high rejection sensitivity. These interviews were done either face-to-face or online. After analysing the interviews, we shared the findings with participants to check if they matched their experiences.&lt;b&gt;What did the researchers find?&lt;/b&gt;Participants described their rejection sensitivity as overwhelming and exhausting. When they felt rejected or criticized, or feared this would happen in the future, they experienced strong emotional and physical reactions, such as overthinking, tension and pain. They could also re-experience memories of past rejection or criticism during these moments. The intensity of these respo","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2703-2714"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145205428","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":"Autism ableism seen through research abstract contents: A mixed-methods analysis of language in NIH-funded genetic and genomic autism research.","authors":"Nicola Sugden, Lily S Barna, Kaylee Foor, John Kee, Chris Gunter","doi":"10.1177/13623613251365979","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251365979","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent years, genetic and genomic autism research has come under increasing scrutiny, moving to the center of debates about ableism, neurodiversity, autism acceptance, and the future of research and care. At the same time, both autism research and genetics and genomics research have, as fields, begun to reckon with the significance of the language researchers use in the course of their work and the harmful ideas that may thereby be reinforced. Although the language of research cannot be assumed to straightforwardly correspond to individual researchers' beliefs, the presence of widespread ableist language may indicate structural and institutionalized ableism, including ableist assumptions at the foundations of research. We conducted a mixed-methods analysis of 166 genetic and genomic autism research projects funded by the US National Institutes of Health, in order to understand the prevalence of potentially ableist discourse, language, and stigmatizing language about autistic people. We found that such discourse and language was ubiquitous across our sample, including a discourse of prevention. This study lends empirical evidence to current debates about language in autism research. Evaluating language can prompt researchers and institutions to reflect on how they conceptualize, design, discuss, and pursue their work.Lay abstractGenetic research about autism is controversial. Researchers are starting to think more carefully about the words they use to talk about autism and the way they do their research. Past research has found that researchers sometimes write about autism in ableist ways. This means that they write about autistic people as though they are less important than nonautistic people. We looked at the way genetics researchers have written about autism in the paperwork for their research. We found that they often write about autistic people in an ableist way. We think that researchers should think carefully about the way they write about autistic people, and how they plan and do their research.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2858-2871"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12451615/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145038957","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":"'I did not think they could help me': Autistic adults' reasons for not seeking public healthcare when they last experienced suicidality.","authors":"Tanya L Procyshyn, Rachel L Moseley, Sarah J Marsden, Carrie Allison, Tracey Parsons, Sarah Cassidy, Mirabel Pelton, Elizabeth Weir, Tanatswa Chikaura, Holly Hodges, David Mosse, Ian Hall, Lewis Owens, Jon Cheyette, David Crichton, Jacqui Rodgers, Simon Baron-Cohen","doi":"10.1177/13623613251370789","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251370789","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With autistic people at increased risk of dying by suicide, understanding barriers to help-seeking is crucial for suicide prevention efforts. Using an online survey designed in consultation with autistic people, we examined reasons why autistic adults living in the United Kingdom did not seek help from the National Health Service (NHS) when they last experienced suicidal thoughts or behaviours. Participants who disaffirmed help-seeking from the NHS (n = 754) were able to select from a prepopulated list of 20 reasons why and to enter their own. The three most commonly endorsed reasons were 'I tried to cope and manage my feelings by myself', 'I did not think they could help me' and 'The waiting list is too long - no point'. Endorsement of reasons differed significantly with gender identity, age group and degree of lifetime suicidality. Four themes emerged from analysis of free-form responses: &lt;i&gt;NHS is ineffective&lt;/i&gt;, &lt;i&gt;NHS as antagonistic, Fear and consequences&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Barriers to access&lt;/i&gt;. These findings highlight the need to foster more flexible healthcare systems capable of supporting autistic people, and that autistic people view as trustworthy and effective, to enable help-seeking behaviours with the potential to save lives.Lay abstractAutistic people are more likely than non-autistic people to think about, attempt and die by suicide. For people in crisis, public healthcare services are, in theory, a source of help. In reality, many non-autistic people do not seek help from healthcare services. We wanted to understand why autistic people living in the United Kingdom may not seek help from the National Health Service (NHS) when suicidal and if these reasons differed by characteristics like age and gender. This study tried to answer these questions using responses from a survey co-designed with autistic people about various aspects of suicidal experiences. Participants were able to select from a list of 20 reasons and enter their own explanations (free-form responses) why they did not seek NHS support when suicidal. Our findings show that the most common reasons were that people tried to cope and manage by themselves; they did not think the NHS could help; and they thought the waiting list was too long. Reasons for not seeking help differed by age and gender, as well as lifetime history of suicidal thoughts and behaviour. For example, cisgender women and transgender/gender-divergent participants were more likely to say that previous bad experiences with the NHS prevented them from seeking help, and people with experience of suicide attempts were more likely to have been turned away by the NHS in the past. The free-form responses showed that many participants believed the NHS was ineffective, had previously had negative experiences with the NHS, worried about the consequences of help-seeking and experienced barriers that prevented help-seeking. This work highlights the crucial change and work required to make the NHS safe and access","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2677-2690"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12531389/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145063380","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":"'It feels like a blessing' - The experience of Hebrew-English bilingualism among autistic children: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.","authors":"David Ariel Sher, Nicole Wendy Sher, Jenny L Gibson, Hannah Ella Sher","doi":"10.1177/13623613251367244","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251367244","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Over half the world's population are bilingual. Despite this, practitioners often advise parents of autistic children to teach their child one dominant national language and limit their child's exposure to community languages. Limited research with autistic children's carers has shown that this monolingual approach impoverishes children's experiences in communal, familial, religious, and social contexts. There is very little research on this topic from the first-person perspectives of autistic children themselves. There is no research exploring the perspectives of Hebrew-English bilingual autistic children. This study aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of autistic children on Hebrew-English bilingualism. In accord with the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodological framework, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of 13 Hebrew-English bilingual autistic children. The IPA clustering process resulted in two overarching group experiential themes (GETs). The first GET was 'Bilingualism aids religious, educational, and social integration and connection'. The second GET was 'Preference of bilingualism and dislike of monolingual approach'. Recommendations include training for practitioners regarding potential positive outcomes of bilingualism, alongside the way their advice to adopt a monolingual approach impacts upon autistic children. We also argue the importance of autistic children's views being considered whenever bilingual decision-making is made.Lay abstractOver half the world's population speak two or more languages. Despite this, practitioners often advise parents of autistic children to teach their child one main national language and not expose their child to additional community languages. Limited research with autistic children's carers has shown that this approach negatively impacts autistic children's communal, family, religious, and social experiences. There is very little research on this topic from the first-hand perspectives of autistic children themselves. There is no research exploring the perspectives of autistic children who speak both Hebrew and English. This study aimed to explore the views of autistic children who have ability in the Hebrew and English languages. Using the interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) research approach, we conducted interviews to explore the experiences of 13 autistic children who have ability in both the Hebrew and English languages. The research resulted in two overarching themes. The first theme was 'Bilingualism aids religious, educational, and social integration and connection'. The second theme was 'Preference of bilingualism, and dislike of monolingual approach'. Our recommendations include training practitioners to be more aware of the way the advice they give for autistic children to only learn one language can negatively impact autistic children. We also argue that whenever decision-making about an autistic child l","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2756-2773"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12531392/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145068904","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":"'We think differently, we learn differently, but at the end of the day we're not that different': Strengths-based approaches in high school from the perspectives of autistic adolescents.","authors":"Jia White, Sarah McGarry, P John Williams, Melissa H Black","doi":"10.1177/13623613251348557","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251348557","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Emerging evidence supports the use of strengths-based approaches for autistic students, yet limited research has explored these approaches from the perspectives of autistic adolescents in mainstream high schools. This study used a descriptive phenomenological methodology to examine the perspectives of 16 autistic adolescents who were either in high school or had recently completed high school in Australia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using a modified seven-step Colaizzi method. Eight themes were identified, grouped under two overarching categories: (1) benefits of leveraging strengths and interests, and (2) support needed for strengths application and development. Adolescents described increased engagement and motivation when learning aligned with their interests, the value of connecting with like-minded peers, and the role of strengths in shaping future aspirations. They also highlighted supports they found helpful, including trusting teacher-student relationships, opportunities for autonomy through accommodations, interest-driven and hands-on learning, structured social experiences, and future-focused planning. These findings provide new insights into how strengths-based approaches can be implemented in high schools. Including autistic adolescents' voices is essential to bridging the gap between inclusive education theory and classroom practice. This study offers actionable guidance for developing strengths-based approaches that foster motivation, confidence, and long-term success for autistic students.Lay abstractThis study explored autistic adolescents experiences and perspectives of strengths-based approaches in mainstream high schools. While there is growing support for recognising and building on students' strengths, little is known about how these approaches are understood and experienced by autistic students themselves. We interviewed 16 autistic adolescents in Australia who were either still in high school or had recently finished. They shared their experiences in one-on-one conversations, and their insights were carefully analysed using a method designed to highlight key themes in how people describe their lived experiences. Autistic students described how learning became more engaging and meaningful when it connected with their interests and strengths. They valued being with like-minded peers and felt more motivated when they could see a link between their strengths and future goals. They also identified helpful supports, such as having teachers who understood them, being given choices in how they learn, doing practical or interest-based tasks, opportunities to build social skills, and support with future planning. By listening directly to autistic students, this study shows how schools can better support them to thrive. The findings offer practical ideas for making high schools more inclusive, motivating, and future-focused for autistic students in Australia and around the world.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2804-2817"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12531396/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144493838","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":"Associations between emotion and behavior codes and ADOS-2 scores in a sample of children referred for autism evaluation.","authors":"Rebecca W Lieb, Luther G Kalb, Rachel Reetzke, Natasha N Ludwig, Christina E Love, Rowena Ng, Danielle Wexler, Allison E Gornik, Calliope Holingue, Ji Su Hong","doi":"10.1177/13623613251355231","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13623613251355231","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>While the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) is considered a \"reference standard\" measure to observe symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), little is known about the utility of its Other Abnormal Behaviors or \"E codes.\" This study investigated the unique influence of each E code (overactivity, disruptive behavior, anxiety) on ADOS-2 scoring. Data from ADOS-2 administrations (Modules 1, 2, 3) were collected from 3364 children (mean age = 6.73 years) at an outpatient ASD clinic. For those with ASD, ADOS-2 Calibrated Severity Scores (CSS) were descriptively higher for those with overactivity and disruptive behavior, but lower for those with anxiety. For those without ASD, no patterns emerged when comparing means. After controlling for age, sex, and language level, multivariable linear models indicated the presence of overactivity was significantly associated with increased CSS for children with ASD compared to those without. No significant interaction was present for disruptive behavior. The presence of anxiety was significantly associated with increased Social Affect CSS only for those without ASD. All effect sizes were small. This is one of the first studies to evaluate the effect of each individual E code on ADOS-2 CSS. Unique differences emerged across diagnostic groups, suggesting implications for ADOS-2 interpretation.Lay SummaryThe Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2) is a common assessment tool used during an autism evaluation. As part of the ADOS-2, the examiner rates \"E codes,\" which are levels of hyperactivity, disruptive behavior, and anxiety during testing. These codes are not part of the final ADOS-2 score. While there is a lot of research on the ADOS-2, less is known about these E codes. This study looked at how the E codes might affect the final ADOS-2 scoring. Information came from 3364 in-person autism assessments (average age = 6.73 years) who were evaluated at an autism specialty clinic. For autistic children, ADOS-2 scores were higher (i.e. more autism-related behaviors) for those with overactivity and disruptive behavior, but lower for those with anxiety. For those without autism, there was no pattern. After accounting for the child's age, sex, and language level, there were unique results for each E code, depending on whether the child received an autism diagnosis. This study is important as it is one of the first to evaluate the effects of each E code on ADOS-2 scores and could impact how scores are interpreted when considering an autism diagnosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":8724,"journal":{"name":"Autism","volume":" ","pages":"2846-2857"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666976","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}