One of the hoped-for uses of trajectory research in children with autism is to provide answers to questions that a parent or caregiver might ask a clinician about their autistic child: “What will they be like as they get older?” You can imagine how important something like language development might be. But trajectory research has provided important knowledge about autistic child development for many other different outcomes.
Read MoreAs children diagnosed on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continuum age and move from childhood to adolescence and then to adulthood, their caregiving needs change but typically remain the responsibility of their primary caregivers, their parents. Depending on the severity of the ASD, their needs may range from minimal input, such as social coaching, to complete care for all of their daily physical, social, and emotional needs.
Read MoreOver the past year we have guest-edited a special collection of articles for Women’s Health, focusing on new research around autistic women and girls’ physical and mental health, as well as identifying the areas that still require research attention. In this blog we reflect on some of the conclusions from this far-reaching and inspiring collection, and consider the next steps for research.
Read MoreWe need a diverse STEM workforce so that innovation and technologies meet the needs of our diverse population. Our study challenges the idea that people with neurodevelopmental disabilities lack potential or interest in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). We use national data on more than 15,000 young adults to find that undergraduates with autism or medicated ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) are actually more likely to select a STEM major than undergraduates without neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Read MoreAutism is a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by differences in the way people process the world and interact with others around them. We are academics who work closely with autistic people and their families to conduct research into the mental health and wellbeing of autistic people, including girls and women. This blog post describes some of the health areas where we know autistic women and girls may be uniquely affected, and which we feel are priorities for future research.
Read More‘Enhancing resilience in autistic adults using community-based participatory research: A novel HRD-intervention in employment service provision’ by Farkas, Mendy and Kargas (2020) uses a practice-based method highlighting how the impact of our intervention led to changes in autistic jobseekers positivity and confidence in not only actively looking for but also gaining and retaining employment.
Read MoreIn the final part of this series, Devyn talks to Aanchal and Louise about synchrony in Autism Spectrum Conditions, a new side project, and disruptions to school research.
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