Skip to content
The Kids Research Institute Australia logo
Donate

No results yet

Search

Research

Gaps in Current Autism Research: The Thoughts of the Autism Research Editorial Board and Associate Editors

Mini‐commentaries on what they considered to be the current gaps in research on autism spectrum disorder

Research

A pilot evaluation of school-based LEGO robotics therapy for autistic students

There is emerging evidence that LEGO® therapy is an effective way of supporting younger autistic children develop their communication and social skills. LEGO® robotics therapy - which uses the principles of LEGO® therapy applied to LEGO® robotics - may be an age-appropriate intervention to reduce anxiety and increase social skills in autistic adolescents.

Research

Bridging the gap: unveiling key links between autism and anxiety symptoms in autistic children and youth using a network analysis in pooled data from four countries

Autistic children experience significantly higher rates of anxiety compared to nonautistic children. The precise relations between autism characteristics and anxiety symptoms remain unclear in this population. Previous work has explored associations at the domain level, which involve examining broad categories or clusters of symptoms, rather than the relationships between specific symptoms and/or individual characteristics. We addressed this gap by taking a network approach to understand the shared structure of autism characteristics and anxiety symptoms.

Research

Estimated Therapy Costs and Downstream Cost Consequences of iBASIS-Video Interaction to Promote Positive Parenting Intervention vs Usual Care Among Children Displaying Early Behavioral Signs of Autism in Australia

The growing global prevalence of autism spectrum disorder is associated with increasing costs for support services. Ascertaining the effects of a successful preemptive intervention for infants showing early behavioral signs of autism on human services budgets is highly policy relevant.

Research

Assessing Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours in Online-Sampled Autistic and Non-autistic Individuals: Factor Structure of the Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire for Adults (RBQ-2A)

The Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire for Adults (RBQ-2A) measures two factors of restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) associated with autism. However, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) provides four criteria for RRBs: repetitive motor behaviours, insistence on sameness, restricted interests, and interest in sensory aspects of the environment (or atypical sensitivity).

Research

Content validation of common measures of functioning for young children against the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and Code and Core Sets relevant to neurodevelopmental conditions

Young children who have developmental delay, autism, or other neurodevelopmental conditions can have difficulties doing things in different areas of their life. What they can and cannot do is called their level of functioning. There are lots of assessment measures that aim to assess functioning.

Research

“He Sees his Autism as a Strength, Not a Deficit Now”: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study Investigating the Impact of Strengths-Based Programs on Autistic Adolescents

Recent studies have reported that strengths-based programs, leveraging autistic adolescents' abilities and interests, could improve their skills and facilitate social engagement. However, little is known about the long-term impact of strengths-based approaches. This study aimed to explore the long-term outcomes of community strengths-based programs designed to support autistic adolescents in developing interests and skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) and the factors influencing their participation in these programs.

Research

Patterns of sensory modulation by age and sex in young people on the autism spectrum

Sensory modulation symptoms form a diagnostic criterion for autism spectrum disorder and are associated with significant daily functional limitations. Utilizing caregiver report on Short Sensory Profile-2 (SSP-2) for 919 autistic children (3–14.11 years), we examined the expression of sensory modulation symptoms by age and sex and investigated the existence of specific sensory modulation subtypes.

Research

Health of mothers of children with intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder: a review of the literature

The deficits associated with intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD)place a burden on their co-residing families which may impact...

Research

Autism Spectrum Disorder, Language Disorder, and Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder: Overlaps, Distinguishing Features, and Clinical Implications

Strictly defined cases of social (pragmatic) communication disorder and specific language impairment can be distinguished from autism spectrum disorder