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The paper has a twofold aim. First, it describes the complex process of gaining consent retrospectively for the publication of clinical material after the institution, where therapy was taking place, had closed down. The clinical material was derived from the psychotherapeutic work with an autistic young boy and his family. Details of the complicated process of gaining consent to publish this material are provided. The second aim of this paper is to discuss the important role of 'trust' when asking or granting consent for publication of clinical material. It is argued that trust at different levels (and amongst various people) plays a pivotal role in gaining consent for publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 1.3% (42,555 pupils) of secondary school pupils in England are autistic and there are numerous reports of poor academic and social experiences among this group. The intense interests that form part of an autism diagnosis relate to an increased focus on specific topics or objects and are reported to positively impact learning when effectively embedded into teaching. However, there is very little research into how interests may be used to support learning in secondary schools and little analysis of whether the utilisation of intense interests is conceptualised and implemented as an inclusive practice. This scoping review explored how intense interests are used to support the learning of autistic adolescents and provides a conceptual analysis of the six papers identified, all from the United States. Three applications of intense interests were reported: power cards, lunch clubs and responding to joint attention. A within-child, deficit-focused perspective was consistent throughout all papers, with the aim being to improve the 'appropriate' target behaviour of autistic children. There is limited research overall, and so further research is needed to examine how intense interests can be implemented in practice in more inclusive ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) approaches offer expressive and receptive supports for the segment of the population of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who have little or no functional speech. The National Center for Autism Evidence and Practice (NCAEP) declared augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions for individuals with autism an "evidence-based practice." Following a brief analysis of the breakdown of studies included in NCAEP by dependent variable, we introduce each of the four papers published as part of this special issue on Advances in Augmentative and Alternative Communication Research for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In addition to elucidating the contributions and advances of each paper to the research base, including the NCAEP report, we provide a critical commentary as applicable in the hopes of stimulating and guiding further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What does it mean for all children to be seen as whole and 'appropriate'? How can early childhood educators and families understand a child as capable and whole within the evaluative systems around disability? Through the narrative inquiry of a mother/early childhood teacher, this paper explores the complex entanglements between identity-affirming practices for all children represented in the fourth edition of Developmentally Appropriate Practices, and the relationship with deficit-based evaluations for children with disabilities. This case study explores possibilities for empowered collaborations between early childhood educators and families, resistance to deficit-based identities while navigating evaluations, and the creation of culturally sustaining interventions emerging from shared knowledge of children. The paper looks closely at perspectives and practices that invite critical engagements around evaluation, making space for new possibilities, and new perceptions for supporting all children as 'whole'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language profile resemblance between autistic11 The current paper uses “identity-first” language throughout, which is often favored by autistic individuals and their parents (Kenny et al. 2016). children who are language-impaired and children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) gives rise to misdiagnosis of the two conditions. Aiming to better understand the underlying causes of language impairments in autism language impaired (ALI) and DLD, the present study adopts a question-statement task to investigate the ability to determine the non-interrogative interpretation of Mandarin wh-words on the basis of syntactic-semantic cues and prosodic cues. The results show that both the ALI and the DLD groups have difficulty using the syntactic-semantic cues to access the non-interrogative interpretations of Mandarin wh-words. However, only the performance of the ALI group correlates with their extralinguistic cognitive ability. Furthermore, the two groups performed differently in using the prosodic cues: the DLD group scores significantly higher than the ALI group on the perception of the prosodic cues. The different linguistic profiles found in the current study suggest that ALI may not simply be a comorbidity of autism and DLD, as has often been proposed. The study’s findings also have the potential to improve diagnostic procedure and to increase accuracy of differential diagnosis in children.The current paper uses “identity-first” language throughout, which is often favored by autistic individuals and their parents (Kenny et al. 2016). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the growing literature examining the multifaceted and complex issues surrounding police interactions with Autistic individuals, this paper examines police officers' training, experiences, and confidence of policing and interacting with autistic individuals. The paper specifically focuses on the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which has been completely neglected in the literature to date. The findings are based upon a survey completed by 212 serving PSNI officers across a variety of ranks and years of experience. While there are a range of important findings in relation to training, confidence and available adaptations, the key finding of this paper is that less than one-third of the survey respondents reported receiving training on Autism delivered by the PSNI. Perhaps even more worryingly, less than half of those who had received this training stated that they were 'satisfied' with it. These findings suggest that the PSNI need to urgently reform the training provided to their officers to ensure that all officers receive Autism focused training. The study findings demonstrate that this new training programme should require periodic retraining throughout officers' careers; be designed to provide officers with both the knowledge base and skill set to effectively interact with Autistic individuals in ways that protect their human rights; and be delivered by a specialist organisation or professional, such as Autism NI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and Communication Technologies have transformed our lives in different social areas, facilitating interpersonal relationships thanks to technological tools. In the specific case of people with disabilities, Assistive Technologies (ATs) break down barriers and increase opportunities to become active members of society with equal opportunities. This paper presents a systematic mapping study that analyzes the current state-of-the-art of ATs proposed in the literature to support the empowering of people with disability. Specifically, this paper focuses on (1) describing a global vision of the scientific literature published in the last 20 years about ATs in the computer science field and (2) identifying research needs, gaps, and trends. For this purpose, an in-depth analysis of 389 primary studies is presented. The information obtained from the mapping process is also constrained. Concretely, 35 ATs versus 22 disabilities are compared, obtaining striking peaks for some disabilities described in the discussion. Finally, the findings show that several areas have been covered only lightly, revealing interesting future directions and challenges for junior researchers. • ATs have the potential to break down barriers for people with disabilities, enabling them to participate more fully in society. This implies a need for rehabilitation programs to incorporate ATs into their strategies to enhance social inclusion. • Given the transformative role of ICT, rehabilitation programs should focus on helping people with disabilities develop the necessary technological skills to utilize ATs effectively. • This work highlights the diversity of ATs and disabilities, suggesting a need for personalized rehabilitation plans that match specific ATs to individual disabilities. • Rehabilitation professionals should be trained to assess and recommend appropriate ATs for each case. Rehabilitation programs should consider incorporating cutting-edge ATs and staying involved in research to contribute to future developments to cover gaps and challenges identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper I, as an autistic actor-trainer who was once an autistic student-actor, explore some of the access issues faced by autistic student-actors. I look at the practices commonly taught on actor-training programmes, and uncover what exclusionary 'dominant narratives' they hold, and why these create issues for autistic students. This paper focuses specifically on the example of empathy, asking how it is used within the practices of Stanislavski and Meisner, among others. This research moves away from the deficit model of autism. Instead, I look to autistic experience – my own and that of others – to investigate what acknowledging, welcoming, and maximising upon these experiences can contribute to these actor-training practices. The result is an example adaptation, where I reframe actor-training exercises to be more accessible for autistic students and consider what benefits these changes might have for all actors within the space. This paper is timely as it follows on from other research into training actors with dyslexia and dyspraxia, and moves to address the absence of writing on training autistic actors. By positioning itself within the neurodiversity paradigm it questions what contributions autistic experience could make to the field of actor-training, if disabling barriers were removed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism and neurodiversity are key topics in current public debate and in the social sciences. A vast multidisciplinary literature has explored spatial dimensions of neurodiversity, particularly by analyzing autistic experiences in private and public spaces and the design of autistic-friendly environments. Building on this literature and by presenting my personal experience as the father of an autistic child, this paper explores connections between critical urban studies and the social and political dimensions of neurodiversity. Focusing on different meanings, positions, and discourses shaping autistic experiences and neurodivergent identities in the capitalist city, the paper draws on the notions of 'queering' and 'cripping' autism. Lastly, the paper presents four tentative propositions about autistic cities, with two goals in mind: imagining more just, liveable and empowering cities, and suggesting that critical urban studies can themselves be stimulated by the encounter with neurodiversities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the origin, sustenance and implications of a persistent rumour that is responsible for low measles mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination uptake in the Somali diaspora in a number of countries across the globe. The rumour stipulates that the MMR vaccine – the silent shot – causes autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Although the association between MMR and ASD is non-causal, and various public health initiatives have promoted health information campaigns, the rumour continues to circulate in the Somali diaspora in many countries, including Sweden. This paper shows that there are valid reasons for this. The findings from this paper draw on a systematic scoping review and qualitative interview data from Sweden. The results show that the Somali community experiences higher than average rates of ASD compared to the general population. Moreover, ASD does not exist in the Somali language or their home country, is considered a Western disease that only affects Somali children in the diaspora, and is a highly stigmatised disease. Also, the Somali diaspora has had negative experiences with ASD diagnosis and care. The rumour has been sustained by the absence of an answer to their ASD fear and through active diaspora networks on social media. The network that surrounds the rumour has arguably further helped to create an epistemic community for a community whose concerns have been silenced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the needs and care for children on the autism spectrum have been widely investigated, the intervention and services available to autistic adults have been overlooked for a long time. This survey paper reviewed 32 articles that described and evaluated assistive technologies that have been developed and evaluated through a complete circle of interactive product design from ideation, prototype, and user evaluation. These assistive technologies aim to improve independence and living quality in autistic adults. We extracted information from the perspective of requirement gathering, technology designing, and effectiveness of evaluation in the design cycle. We found a general lack of requirements-driven design, and the evaluation process was not standardized either. The lack of requirement gathering results in designs purely based on existing literature without targeting actual user needs. Our synthesis of included paper contributes to developing iterative design considerations in assistive technologies for autistic adults. We also suggest that assistive technologies for autistic adults shift some attention from assisting only autistic adults who require at least substantial support to embracing also those who have been living independently but rather have difficulties in social interaction. Assistive technologies for them have the potentials to help them consolidate and enhance their experiences in independent living. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outcomes of discrimination for autistic people include masking, social isolation and exclusion, trauma, and mental health problems. This discursive paper discusses the discrimination experienced by autistic people in health, education, employment, and media settings; and considers how to reduce the impact of discrimination. Addressing the impact of discrimination requires an improved understanding of the lived experience of the autistic person, the embedding of inclusive practices in communities, developing the person's life skills and supports, and enabling the person to work through their psychological trauma. Further research can aid in minimizing and preventing discrimination against people with autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undiagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may represent a diagnostic challenge in people who refer to specialized services for first-episode psychosis (FEP). Similarly, individuals with ASD can present newly-onset psychotic symptoms. The present review aimed to summarize the literature available on ASD and FEP to guide differential diagnosis between the two conditions and discuss the impact of ASD-FEP comorbidity on recovery. The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed. After conducting a comprehensive literature search, we screened 204 papers including participants with: (1) a comorbid diagnosis of FEP and ASD; (2) FEP and autistic traits; (3) separate groups of FEP and ASD. A total of 18 studies were discussed and confirmed the high prevalence of ASD or autistic traits in people referring to FEP services (up to 9% and 35% of FEP, respectively), which could negatively impact pathways to care, clinical presentation, and outcomes. Due to some similarities in ASD and FEP presentation (e.g., difficulties in social functioning), a differential diagnosis could be challenging. The features more suggestive of ASD rather than a primary FEP include illogical and concrete thinking, and a longstanding social interaction difficulty. Aberrant salience and suspiciousness can manifest in ASD, but are usually more transient, and stress-related than in FEP. Also, perceptual abnormalities are due to altered sensory processing rather than pathological hallucinations. The co-occurrence of ASD symptoms is associated with a reduced probability of clinical and functional recovery in FEP, a higher risk of suicidal behaviors, and higher unemployment rates. The kaleidoscopic manifestations of FEP require an adequate differential diagnosis that should include ASD. FEP services ought to be equipped for an adequate assessment and diagnostic formulation, which can result particularly challenging should symptoms of autism be present in adult patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the concept of neurodiversity and how it applies to tourism. Through a critical analysis based on the social model of disability, the paper begins by highlighting that neurodiversity has been poorly problematized in tourism research. Using the challenges involved in holidaymaking for families with autistic children as an example, the paper demonstrates how tourism providers and governments have failed to identify what changes are required to meet the needs of neurodivergent people and who should be responsible for implementing them. From this discussion, a framework for action with three tiers of responsibility (governments, the tourism system, neurodiverse families) is developed. The paper then concludes with a research agenda for the future study of tourism and neurodiversity with particular reference to the social model of neurodiversity and the responsibilities of the tourism industry, tourists and governments (including charitable organizations). From this, a call to arms for all tourism researchers to embrace research into neurodiversity through the framework and research agenda is developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite legislative and policy mechanisms that promote inclusion in education for children with disabilities, many students still experience exclusion from the education setting. For example, autistic children are more likely than their neurotypical counterparts to be expelled or suspended from school or to refuse to attend school on an ongoing basis. This situation gives rise to various challenges for their parents. This discursive paper synthesizes current knowledge on school exclusion involving autistic children, including the causes and consequences of exclusionary practices. The paper also considers the negative impacts of these exclusionary practices on the emotional and psychological well-being of parents and caregivers. Mental health nurses who understand the issues related to school exclusion can better support the educational, social, and developmental needs of autistic children and the mental health needs of parents or caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several lines of evidence indicate the prevalence of mental health disorders in Transgender (TG) individuals is higher than that of cisgender individuals or the general population. In this systematic review, we aim to propose a summary of some of the most significant research investigating mental health disorders' prevalence among this population. We performed a double-blind systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting (PRISMA) on PUBMED/MEDLINE and SCOPUS, specifically using peer-reviewed articles examining the mental health status of transgender (TG) individuals. This review did not exclude any research based on publication date. The last search was performed in February 2022. The employed search strategy led to the selection of 165 peer-reviewed articles. The majority of these papers presented a cross-sectional design with self-reported diagnoses and symptoms, signaling a significant prevalence of mental health disorders amongst TG Individuals. Of the reviewed articles, 72 examined the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders; 8 examined eating disorders; 43 examined the prevalence of suicidal or self-harm ideation or behaviors; 5 papers examined the prevalence of trauma and stress-related disorders; 10 examined the frequency of personality disorders; 44 examined substance use disorders; and 9 papers examined the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder. Finally, 22 studies reported on the prevalence of TG individuals diagnosed with co-morbid mental health disorders or unspecified mental disorders. Our findings coincide with existing research, which indicates TG individuals do experience a higher prevalence of mental health disorders than that of the general population or cisgender individuals. However, further research is needed to address the existing gaps in knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author offers a discussion of Ebony Dennis' paper, "The Paranoid-Schizoid Poison and Envious Attacks on the Black Other" (this issue, pp. 141-153). The author summarizes Dennis' perspective on whiteness as well as that of other psychoanalytic authors. Similarities and differences between racism and ableism are discussed, and the author offers a history of the disability rights movement, the main concepts in the field of critical disability studies, and a clinical discussion illustrating ableism and nondisabled privilege in the clinical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the therapeutic importance of some structural aspects of the body and the consulting room for integrating primal psychophysical spatiality with children suffering from severe developmental deficiency (mainly autism, but not exclusively). The dominant dimension of those children available for the therapist is their non-communicative corporal organisation and behavioural involvement with physical aspects of the consulting room. The paper introduces the idea of 'an envelope with openings', seeing it as an innate multidimensional psychophysical schema. Such a structure fits with the child and the therapist's body, and characterises the physical aspects of the consulting room. This structural resemblance has the potential of functioning as an intuitive pre-reflective common source for therapeutic communication. It might support the therapist's somatic openness, crystallise into a countertransference-based corporal communication, functioning as a 'constitutive intervention', and thus give organised existence to the primal layer of the child's experience. This type of intervention invites the therapist to use his body and/or some physical aspect of the room to structure fragmented psychophysical elements into this spatial-temporal embodied schema. Clinical case material from two therapies with children with ASD, and one adult therapy, illustrate this potential, gradually revealing the consulting room as a goldmine inhabited by subjective objects, ready for intersubjective meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how making art alongside clients supported a relational intersectional approach and aided the development of an attuned therapeutic relationship with Matthieu (pseudonym), a Black-British autistic adolescent who experienced domestic violence. The art therapy intervention took place at a Special Educational Needs (SEN) secondary school. Authenticity and capacity for consent were carefully considered not to compromise safety and trust in the therapeutic relationship. Consent was given via Matthieu's primary caregiver: this was in line with the therapy organisation's confidentiality framework. A relational intersectional approach examines the impacts of domestic abuse, structural violence, autism, and race in the therapeutic alliance to illuminate how chronic experiences of systemic harm and domestic violence may weigh on a black autistic young boy. Making art with clients, also termed 'Working alongside', has been shown to support mentalising process, attunement and support relationship building with autistic young people. The therapeutic relationship became accessible, and a shared racial identity encounter strengthened therapeutic rapport. Working alongside supported a relational intersectional approach and was pivotal to Matthieu's engagement in art therapy. Art therapy literature exploring the impact of shared ethnicity in the therapeutic encounter is an area needing further research. Therapist images made during a session with their client are generally termed 'working alongside'. Working alongside can encourage empathy, understanding and relationship-building with autistic young people with complex social-emotional needs and histories of domestic abuse. This practice paper highlights a journey of working alongside in art therapy practice with Matthieu, a Black-British autistic adolescent who had experienced domestic violence. A sensitive social, cultural, and political analysis aims to explore the intersection of race, gender and ability by enhancing discussions around the impact of shared racial identity on the therapeutic relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the viva being an essential component of all PhD and other doctoral qualifications in UK universities, there is little research into their accessibility for autistic students, or the process of adjusting them to individual students' needs. Autistic student voices about the viva are almost completely absent from the literature. This paper is the first to employ a collaborative, ethnographical case study to explore the doctoral viva voce experience of an autistic student, directly from their perspective and from the perspectives of non-autistic academics central to the process. The experiences we share highlight the limitations of 'reasonable accommodation' plans, if they offer only generic support based on a diagnostic label, rather than taking account of the individual needs, and the importance of recognising the unique role that the viva voce holds within doctoral studies. We present a 'reasonable accommodations' discussion document, to facilitate autistic student-centred discussions and ensure the viva process is fair and accessible. We further assert that accommodations should be formally noted within the examination report as to their use and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates that students with autism tend to show more levels of non-engagement compared to their peers with other types of disabilities, and teachers struggle to enhance their participation in mainstream classrooms. The aim of this paper was to understand how teachers arrive at their teaching decisions to promote the participation of students with autism in inclusive classrooms by illustrating and analysing the phenomenon across several cases. This study adopted a longitudinal multiple case study design with four participating teachers from primary schools in Saudi Arabia using a combination of methods (observations, interviews and teaching efficacy scale). The findings indicated that teachers arrived at their teaching decisions regarding the participation of students with autism in a complex way of thinking involving attitudes towards the inclusion of students with autism, levels of teaching efficacy, perceived causes of the students' needs and expectations of students' learning progress in their classrooms. A model grounded in the data was developed to show how these factors interact. Teachers who perceived students with autism as having intellectual difficulties, had lower expectations of their learning progress, lower level of teaching efficacy and less positive attitudes towards their inclusion, which set limits on their participation in the class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this systematic review is to verify the development of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Child and Youth (ICF-CY), investigating methodology and how many core sets have been created. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used to carry out the systematic review. Six bibliographic databases were searched: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Sciences, CINHAL, PEDro, and OT Seeker. Papers included in the study have the following characteristics: (a) pediatric population with different health conditions, (b) assessment of ICF domains, (c) development of ICF-CY core set in different health conditions, and (d) recommendation for clinical uses. Search strategies allowed to identify 270 research papers. After the elimination of duplicates, 154 articles were analyzed. Finally, 28 records were included for qualitative synthesis. Twelve different ICF-CY Core Sets were identified. Autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and cerebral palsy were the main health conditions studied at international level. Most of the studies involved international experts using Cieza' methodology to inform ICF-CY Core Set. After 15 years since the adoption of ICF-CY, it still finds some barriers to use. Concrete actions should be taken to develop further core sets following a rigorous methodology and to contribute implementing the ICF framework. In 15 years since the implementation of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Child and Youth (ICF-CY), only 12 core sets have been developed. To develop ICF-CY Core Set, health professionals should follow methodology described by Cieza et al. Strong collaboration between low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutrition is important in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Because nutritional problems of children with ASD can lead to nutritional deficiencies and this can also directly or indirectly affect symptoms related to autism. We investigated the effect of diet and supplementation treatments on gastrointestinal, behavioral or sleep problems based on the results of literature review. Methods: We generated four questions based on literature. We carried out title and abstract-based search using the Web of Science database. Of 4580 abstracts were identified, 192 papers were reviewed and 55 papers precisely meeting the inclusion criteria. Results: The studies examining the effects of vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and other supplements on ASD symptoms had different dosages, different treatment durations, small sample sizes and used different scales for evaluation. The results of the studies of the effectiveness of Gluten-Free and Casein-Free (GFCF) and ketogenic diet to reduce gastrointestinal, behavioral and sleeping problems in children and adolescents were contradictory. Conclusions: It is not possible to suggest the GFCF and/or ketogenic diet, vitamins, minerals and probiotics to individual with ASD based on the available evidence. By planning a sufficient and balanced diet, it should be aimed to prevent nutrient deficiency and to ensure growth in accordance with the age in children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Specific treatment and interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions who display harmful sexual behaviour have yet to be widely evaluated. This review aims to consolidate and assess the quality of research exploring non-pharmacological interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions who display harmful sexual behaviour. Method: A systemic search of electronic databases was conducted. Articles were considered for inclusion, according to identified inclusion and exclusion criteria. At the end of the search, ten papers were deemed suitable for inclusion. Results: Ten studies were considered eligible for review, including a study of follow-up data of one of the original studies. Quality assessment indicated that the majority of papers provided weak research evidence, with only two papers receiving an "adequate" rating. A consistent methodological flaw was the lack of control groups for group interventions. Conclusions: There is currently a very small research base exploring non-pharmacological interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions who display harmful sexual behaviour. The current research is littered with methodological flaws, however reveals some useful information regarding the use of functional behaviour assessment and individualised treatment planning, as well as some of the limitations of using adapted group CBT interventions. Suggestions for future research include; studies evaluating the effectiveness of behavioural interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions who display harmful sexual behaviour, studies which include female participants, studies which utilise control groups where appropriate, and an evaluation of interventions for those with Autism Spectrum Conditions without Intellectual Disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on the student experience of online learning, distraction during video lectures, acceptance of ICT policies, serious games and competition preferences, mobile games, soft skills in problem-based learning environments, wearable technologies and ubiquitous communication. It outlines the medical education, software, autism, language and entrepreneurship from primary to higher education, and the papers utilize a range of research methods.

Background: Children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often experience symptoms of various mental disorders along with the characteristics that define ASD. High rates of several psychiatric disorders have been reported in people with ASD such as anxiety, depression, cognitive problems, emotional regulation difficulties and related behavioral problems can occur in children of all ages with ASD. There are many treatment programs that can help autistic persons cope with these symptoms. Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and more are treatment programs that can help people with autism recognize and manage their symptoms. Aim: This paper examines through bibliographic sources of the last 15 years the possible mental disorders that a child or adolescent with ASD may experience, as well as the therapeutic interventions that can help to manage them. Methodology: For the present bibliographic research, 15 scientific articles from English journals were used. The databases from which the scientific articles were found were PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. Results: According to the results of various studies, children and adolescents with autism show various symptoms of psychological disorders such as Anxiety Disorders, Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The combination of CBT and ICT can help people with autism recognize and manage their symptoms. Discussion: The various symptoms of disorders that children and adolescents with autism experience can have a major impact on their family, their daily life, their schooling, and their future work. It is of the utmost importance that these children enter into a treatment program in order to better manage and treat their symptoms. The support of the school is also very important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pragmatics can be defined as the appropriate use of language in social interactions. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) exhibit difficulties in pragmatic language (PL), but the nature and sources of these difficulties have not been fully investigated yet. The purpose of this paper is to critically review empirical literature on the PL of children with ASD as compared to that of children with DLD. Thirteen studies that met established inclusion criteria were identified and reviewed. Children with ASD and children with DLD demonstrated several similarities in PL. However, a lot of differences were observed and mainly children with ASD faced more profound difficulties than children with DLD, while PL may be a distinct marker between the two groups. The differences observed in the language profiles of ASD and DLD show that even if there is an overlap in some domains, the PL abilities of children of both clinical populations are likely to be controlled by different mechanisms and therefore these differences in PL may be considered as a distinguishable feature between the two populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niche construction theory highlights the active role of organisms in modifying their environment. A subset of these modifications is the developmental niche, which concerns ecological, epistemic, social and symbolic legacies inherited by organisms as resources that scaffold their developmental processes. Since in this theory development is a situated process that takes place in a culturally structured environment, we may reasonably ask if implicit cultural biases may, in some cases, be responsible for maladaptive developmental niches. In this paper we wish to argue for an affirmative answer. In order to do so, we first propose to conceptualize implicit bias as embodied perceptual habits, and then proceed to show that these habits are at least partially responsible for maladaptive developmental niches of children with Down syndrome and autism. With this framework we thus hope to bring together two fields of research that haven't been explicitly connected: implicit bias and niche construction theory. Linking these two theories may bring benefits both to implicit bias researchers, who can extend this concept to characterize other sets of processes as biased, as well as to niche construction theorists, who will have a useful theoretical tool to diagnose maladaptive features of niches brought about by sociocultural biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assumption that primal phantasmatic activity stems from bodily functions is widely accepted in developmental and psychoanalytic thinking. This article attempts to give more specific meaning to this abstract assumption. It examines the influence of sensory, perceptual, and motor capacities on the consolidation of typically differentiated erotogenic experiences relevant to pre-Oedipal and Oedipal organisations. It then proceeds to examine the impact of innate deficiencies in these capacities on the development of phantasmatic organisation in children on the autistic spectrum who often manifest atypical erotogenic organisation. Additionally, it pays attention to non-symbolic therapeutic communication and the unconscious transference-countertransference relationship stemming from such a problematic matrix. The paper is clinically derived from a description of the early-Oedipal organisation of a child with low cognitive and functional capacities and proceeds to the manifestations of the Oedipal constellation of a high-functioning autistic child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author presents the issue of the development of internal space, as a function of the relationship of intimacy and synchrony with the caregiver, with the purpose of rendering more tolerable the experience of space outside the body. This paper argues that if this relationship does not stabilise by the end of the first year of life, an absence of representation of an internal space in the unidimensional realm might ensue. The psychoanalytic treatment of autistic children offers windows to certain developmental challenges associated with the representation of both internal and external spaces, the consequent development of dimensionality and its deviations. The case of a young autistic child in the first year of her four-session-a-week analysis is described as an illustration of the child's struggle to overcome precipitation anxiety around the experience of falling by using her movements in the external space. The child's autistic defences and deficits at first functioned to keep her in a liquid state, and later denied gravity by means of repetitive movements of her body while exploring the space of the analyst's room. Her mouth was experienced as a hole to be completely blocked with either food or a pacifier, preventing exchanges with the analyst. Her subsequent compulsive use of strings in activities revealed at the same time the search for links, and her difficulty connecting and establishing communication. At the end, the analyst realised an archaic equivalence between their room and body, as a 'concrete transference', revealing the child's attachment and motivation to explore it, which could be interpreted as an affective link between the analyst and patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our separateness from the other is the 'basic agony', the 'original heartbreak' of the human condition, according to Frances Tustin's thinking. The ways we deal with this heartbreak form the foundation through which relationships, self-experience and wellbeing are built and developed. The following paper describes a child's journey, from omnipotent encapsulation, through the extremes of heartbreak – the child's, as well as his parents' and the therapist's – to liveliness and hope. Tustin teaches us the meaning and experience of encapsulation, the delicate balance between 'hard' and 'soft' needed in the therapeutic stance, the extremes of despair, hurt, cruelty and heartbreak that are met with along the way, as well as the possibility of hope even in dire situations. Holding on, survival and faith, as well as hope-against-hope, which is the resistance to despair in situations of hopelessness, are needed in order for this broken heart to be somewhat mended and allowed to flourish and to grow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2008 a community-academic partnership was formed between the School District of Philadelphia and our university-based team, Philadelphia Autism Instructional Methods Support. Through this partnership, we conducted a large-scale randomized trial of autism interventions in public schools, which indicated concerns related to implementation fidelity despite high-quality consultation to an evidence-based curriculum. Since the conclusion of the initial study, we have sustained this partnership to continue providing access to evidence-based care for autistic students. In this paper, we describe our iterative process of adapting consultation for autism support teachers, present findings regarding the impact of these services on teacher implementation fidelity, and map elements of our model onto well-established sustainment strategies for implementing change. In sharing this model, we hope to provide a blueprint for organizations conducting similar work and for those interested in empirically testing or applying strategies for sustainment of EBPs in school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a deceptive kind of autistic encapsulation, charact-erised by pseudo-internal space and distortions in the normal development of psychophysical space. It introduces the metaphor of loops as spatial-temporal organisations that illuminate three aspects of autistic encapsulation, two of which were first described by Frances Tustin. Three types of loops – simple, twisted and double-twisted – are explored. The paper delineates the double-twisted loop as an additional and more complex manifestation, typical to post-autistic organisation. Here, symbolic thinking and communication function as a disguise, obscuring the child's trajectory on an infinite continuum that folds around itself, thus denying the potential for separateness and preventing the accumulative realisation of mental space. Using two clinical vignettes, the author shows how such a presentation leaves the therapist in danger of being tempted by the child's pseudo-internal world, while remaining dissociated from their developmental needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Given the high population prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and overlapping symptoms with medically complex groups, ASD is a common rule out diagnosis for neuropsychologists even when not identified in the referral or initial presenting concerns. This paper presents practical guidance to support neuropsychologists in their ability to accurately assess, diagnose, and/or rule out ASD, especially in patients with more subtle presentations. Method: This paper combines clinical experience and empirical literature to highlight important assessment measures and related considerations, differential diagnostic considerations, common misconceptions about ASD and person/family characteristics, as well as variability in presentation and comorbidities that can obscure the diagnosis. Characteristics that may be considered "red flags" (clearly diagnostic, classic symptoms) and "pink flags" (associated features and symptoms that are suggestive of ASD but not quite definitive and that may overlap with symptoms seen in other neurodevelopmental or psychiatric diagnoses) will be discussed. Conclusions: Neuropsychologists in all clinical settings should be able to effectively screen for and/or diagnose ASD, even when its presentation is more subtle and/or when symptoms are masked by patient strengths in a way that makes their clinical presentation less obvious. Practical strategies for communicating the diagnosis and next steps/recommendations for interventions are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a qualitative, longitudinal case study conducted in England that explored the transition experiences of autistic students with intellectual disabilities (ID) as they left special school to go to colleges of further education (FE). Sequential interviews with six young people, their parents/carers and educators were developed to address an important knowledge gap in relation to progression to post-16 education for differently abled learners. Transition is theorised through both the lens of the social model of disability and the three typologies of induction, development and becoming. Combining these enables a focus on flexible systems and adaptive environments as well as an openness to the variability of autistic students. While the research found evidence of transition planning, it also identified gaps in critical processes, limited understanding of autistic students' capacity to manage change and normative expectations around independence. Parents reported a largely 'tick-box' approach to transition that was further reflected in a lack of preparation for social transition. The paper highlights responsibilities of institutions to make adaptations to transition processes in order to enable autistic students to better navigate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arab cinema has not featured many protagonists with disabilities, but over the past two decades differently abled characters have appeared on movie and television screens in the Middle East and North Africa. From feature films to Ramadan serials, characters with Hansen's Disease, Down Syndrome, autism, visual impairments, dwarfism, and missing limbs have emerged in films and television shows from Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon. Characters with disabilities in Yomeddine (Egypt), Behind the Sun (Syria), and Tale of Amal (Lebanon) challenge disability stigma in Arab cultures and highlight the toll of caregiving. While these portrayals, which all incorporate religious interpretations of disability and feature poor characters living on the margins, attempt to correct the absence of disability representations and discourse in Arab societies, they fall into familiar tropes of disability objectification by employing the 'prosthetic' of a disability narrative to explore other marginalized social issues like abortion, gender, race, and religious differences. There is hardly any research on how disability is portrayed in film and television in Syria, Egypt, and Lebanon The research sheds important light on how disability and poverty intersect in Arab popular culture This paper discusses how religion (Islam in particular) is used to understand, interpret, and manage disability in Arab societies This research shows how Arab filmmakers are using film and television to advocate for more awareness and compassion for people with disabilities in Arab societies. This paper covers taboo subjects related to disability such as abortion, religious minorities, sexuality, and gender marginalization [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empathy is operationalised and measured in various different ways in research. I have identified several trends in empathy research that have resulted in what I refer to as neurotypical gatekeeping of the concept of empathy. Narrow assumptions on the relationship between experiences and expressions have made the concept exclusive to those who are perceived as neurotypical. In several ways, this has biased our knowledge of empathy, especially regarding autism. This does not only invalidate autistic empathy, but also sustains a harmful and stigmatizing narrative of autism. In this paper, I expand on the neurotypical gatekeeping of empathy as a matter of epistemic injustice and argue why and how neurodiversity calls for a reconceptualization of empathy. I continue by building a proposal for a clear and fair notion of empathy. I argue that we need to settle the dispute on empathy and morality by accepting the value associated with empathy in society, and use an anti-discriminatory normative conceptualization accordingly. I propose to understand empathy as appropriately attending to experiential differences and similarities, balancing between – what I introduce as - distantism and proximism. I discuss conceptual and methodological implications of this approach to empathy, as well as its application to neurodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To design and develop a mobile application for pre-school readiness of children with autism and also to identify their learning pattern. Based on strong foundation of functional academics, we have developed a mobile application for providing an early educational intervention program to the children with autism. Three successive software trials have been conducted among 31 children with autism of age group of three to 10 years. The mobile app has been provided to educators and parents and they have been allowed to supervise the children during their learning phase for eight to 10 weeks. The imprint of learning pattern is recorded and learning progress profile is generated for individual child. Data analysis of learning progress profile shows that 90% of the participants preferred drag and drop or simple touch approach over conventional methods practised during classroom teachings. More than 84% of the children are found to adapt pre-requisite skills for writing like scribbling, tracing, dots joining, copying, etc. after using the app on their tablet who are reluctant to hold pencil and paper otherwise. Twenty-five percent of the participants are reported to reciprocate the greeting etiquettes in class such as greeting teachers and their peers. The mobile application made a valuable contribution to early intervention program for children with autism by imparting appropriate learning opportunities readily available to them. Performance metrics underlying each activity form a strong base of identification of learning patterns and formulation of revised individualized education plan (IEP). Children with autism need the mobile application as an educational intervention program for it is readily available and user friendly. Educators need the mobile application to quantify the performance parameters and there by monitor/evaluate the progress of the child. Overall, the present research has aimed to develop an easy reach app by which educating as well as handling challenging behaviour of the children with autism would be easier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of person-first language (i.e., the person with a disability) versus identity-first language (i.e., the disabled person) is a source of ongoing debate. Proponents of person-first language argue for its use, so as not to objectify or stereotype a person by their illness or disability. Conversely, advocates of identity-first language state that it affirms pride in the person's disability. Overall, however, there is a growing use of identity-first language. Both proponents of person-first and identity-first language are aligned in their quest to maximise respect and inclusivity of people with disabilities and health conditions. Limited research examining the language preferences of those with disabilities and/or medical issues has been mixed. The majority of the research has focused on autism, multiple sclerosis and deaf/blind populations. In some cases, studies have methodological issues, and researchers have concentrated on the perspectives of students, employees and counsellors. Factors that may influence preferences, such as disability type, severity, acceptance and identity, have not been adequately examined in the research. Future research is required to gain an evidence-based understanding of language preferences that can improve social inclusion for people with varying disabilities and health conditions. What is already known about this topic: (1) There is ongoing debate about the use of person-first versus identity-first language. (2) Both proponents of person-first and identity-first language are aligned in their quest to maximise respect and inclusivity of people with disabilities and health conditions. (3) Some disability scholars have proposed that psychologists use person-first and identity first language interchangeably. What this paper adds: (1) An overview of previous research finds that much has not been conducted in people with disabilities and is inappropriate for generalisation more broadly (2) There is a deficit in knowledge about factors that may influence language preferences, such as disability type, severity, acceptance and identity which have not been adequately examined. (3) Future research is required to gain an evidence-based understanding of language preferences that can improve social inclusion and maximise respect for people with varying disabilities and health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines news media coverage on autism, a public health issue in Vietnam. Computational corpus analysis and framing analysis of Vietnamese digital news media of over 580,000 words are deemed useful methods for big data analysis. The language patterns, extracted by WordSmith software, suggest autism is framed primarily as a medical problem and a family issue, not a matter of social policy or an aspect of human diversity. Noticeably, individuals with autism are expected to integrate to fit in with the community, not the other way around, where the society acts as an agent to accommodate autism diversity within an inclusive environment. The study finds the under-represented voices of individuals with autism and family actors, and the dominant voices of healthcare, education, and other professionals, along with the absence of government authorities in the media corpus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the third of a triptych of papers. The word 'triptych' refers to traditional religious paintings, where three panels are joined with hinges. Each of the three papers in this triptych outlines certain aspects of my patient Sam's fourteen year psychotherapy. When these papers are read together, they provide a detailed exploration of the most noteworthy changes I have observed in Sam over the fourteen years of our therapeutic relationship. This third and final part deals with the way that Sam's defensive structures have developed and shifted over fourteen years. It integrates material from all three papers, and makes a foray into theorising about some possible aetiological sources of ASD, emphasising psychodynamic aspects. Taken together, the three papers are my effort to map out the important psychodynamic changes in Sam's functioning across fourteen years of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates literature surrounding the effectiveness of Precision Teaching (PT) for improving the skill acquisition of children with autism. PT's aim is the attainment of behavioural fluency across educational and social contexts, as well as potentiality to enhance the learning of pupils with autism. This review evaluates the existing literature in which PT interventions have been implemented to improve the skill acquisition of children with autism. Relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria include: peer-reviewed articles written in English after 2005, participants being children aged two to 12 with a diagnosis of autism; and PT used as an intervention to improve performance of a directly observable skill with use of pre- and post-intervention data. Results indicated that PT may effectively increase a variety of component skills for children with autism; including emotion identification, storytelling, sight word reading, foundational motor skills, and intraverbal responding. Recommendations for teaching and learning for children with autism and implications for educational psychology practice are posited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPoints of InterestThis paper examines autistic adults’ narratives and accounts of their experiences. It focuses on exploring how autistic individuals interpret and respond to stigma and negative attitudes surrounding autism. Thematic analysis of qualitative data obtained from interviews and focus groups reveals how autistic persons reconstruct their self-perception and definition of autism in response to stigma and societal attitudes. Further, the analysis reveals the prevalent use of social camouflaging among autistic adults to manage and cope with their stigmatized identities. This research contends that the dual approach that appeared among participants of advocating for autism acceptance while masking and concealing autism, reflects a continuous balancing act between avoiding stigma and its harmful consequences and striving to fit in, gain acceptance, engage in social interaction and relationships. Reframing autism as positive and reporting decreased motivation for camouflaging and increased self-acceptance, demonstrate stigma resistance and the agency and power possessed by autistic people.This article looks into how autistic adults describe their daily and social experiences.Specifically, it examines the impact of stigma on autistic individuals’ understanding of autism as well as explains how autistic people deal with stigmatic views and negative reactions to autism.The data collected for this study is based on interviews and focus groups conducted with autistic adults.The study highlights the use of masking, where autistic individuals hide their autism to avoid stigma and its negative consequences while seeking social acceptance and engaging socially.By exploring how autism intersects with various social identities, the study reveals how autistic individuals navigate societal challenges, highlighting the diverse experiences and perspectives within the autistic community and the complexity of the autism experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the right to access appropriate and comprehensive sexuality and relationship education (SRE), but face a long history of exclusion from SRE in the USA due to myths about the sexuality of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, biases against people with disabilities, and segregationist educational policies. Additionally, people with autism/autistic people are more likely to report having an LGBTQIA+ identity, and need comprehensive SRE content to become socially competent members of their communities. Teachers and other practitioners are often placed in the uncomfortable position of addressing many SRE topics while feeling unprepared, trying to stay aligned with educational policies, managing caregiver expectations, and providing scientifically accurate fact-based information in an increasingly politicised social climate. This paper provides recommendations on how to teach about LGBTQIA+ issues to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities including recommendations for modifying existing SRE curricula, identifying effective instructional strategies, and outlining a process for including LGBTQIA+ identities in SRE content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) remain a healthcare challenge and gain considerable attention due to the increasing prevalence rates and insupportable burden on families and society. It is noted that the recognition of children's emotional states plays an important role in the evaluation and intervention process of ASD. In this paper, we aim to address the problem of automatic recognition of the emotional states of ASD children in social interactive scenarios. Since the child can be unconstrained in realistic scenarios, the face occlusion under pose variations and uncertain backgrounds become challenges of this task. To tackle this problem, we employ both facial expressions as well as body poses as cues to recognize the emotional states while most traditional methods only leverage the former. Firstly for the facial information, spatial features are extracted through convolutional neural networks followed by a temporal transformer to extract temporal information. Then for the body pose information, graph convolutional networks combined with the self-attention part are used to represent spatial features and temporal convolutional layers for temporal counterparts. Finally, different multimodal fusion ways are explored to generate final recognition results. We evaluate this method on a challenging database collected by us in real-world child-clinician interactive scenarios and the proposed method achieved significantly better results than baselines using only facial information. Thus it is suggested that there is a potential to assist in clinical practice by providing the recognized emotion as feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prospects for attaining well-being do not appear to be improving for most persons with Autism. We believe it is essential to understand the obstacles preventing persons from experiencing life satisfaction and optimism for the future. The current paper seeks to address this question and provide an alternate model that we believe can significantly increase the potential for autistic persons to achieve greater well-being. We first review recent findings concerning the well-being of autistic adults. Next, we present evidence supporting our belief that a significant factor suppressing autistic well-being is the failure to develop Dynamic Intelligence, the mental resources needed to function successfully in situations resembling Complex Dynamic Systems. This section includes a brief qualitative study of four young men with Autism who participated as children in Relationship Development Intervention (RDI). RDI is a family-based program where through careful assessment, support and training, RDI consultants provide parents with Autism a new opportunity to form and manage an Experience Guiding Relationship (EGR) with their autistic children. The Experience Guiding Relationship is the universal pathway for developing the mental resources needed to thrive in Complex, Dynamic environments. We provide strong evidence supporting our belief that due to a diverse range of early vulnerabilities, future Autistic infants and their parents cannot form this critical relationship. The final section offers recommendations for adapting intervention goals and methods for persons with Autism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little research regarding the prison experiences of individuals diagnosed with autism. Extant literature suggests that prison presents numerous challenges for autistic prisoners. This research explored the experiences of seven autistic men in a UK prison that houses individuals who are serving sentences for sexual convictions. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured interview schedules. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed with an applied inductive thematic analysis. The latter explicitly focuses on generating commonalities that emerge from the data that have practical (applied) utility. The analysis generated three superordinate themes: 'Interacting with others', 'Being in prison', and 'My autism'. Participants described both helpful and challenging aspects of the prison experience, and the findings give rise to important implications and considerations regarding the prison experience of autistic individuals. This paper concludes by outlining practical recommendations for prisons to improve the management and support of autistic residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexithymia is a trait characterised by difficulty identifying and describing one's own emotions and externally orientated thinking. Alexithymia is of clinical interest in people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) given research that has highlighted elevated levels of overall alexithymia in people with ASD. Presently, little is known about what specific facets of alexithymia might be impaired in ASD, or whether deficits are present for both negative and positive emotions. This study therefore aimed to fill this gap, establishing a facet-level profile of alexithymia in people with ASD. Using the Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire, levels of alexithymia were assessed in sample of 55 people with a diagnosis of ASD and compared with 246 people in a community control sample. We found that all facets of alexithymia (across both valence domains) were substantially elevated in ASD (N = 55) compared to a community control sample (N = 246). Assessing all facets of alexithymia, across both valence domains, may help identify subgroups with particular social and communication difficulties, and in turn, support the development of personalised interventions. What is already known on this topic: Alexithymia is a multidimensional construct, comprised of at least three interrelated components: difficulty identifying one's own feelings (DIF), difficulty describing feelings (DDF), and an externally orientated thinking style (EOT). The Perth Alexithymia Questionnaire (PAQ) is a psychometrically sound measure of alexithymia. Alexithymia commonly occurs in people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). What this paper adds: In the ASD group, alexithymia was higher across all facets (i.e., DIF, DDF, EOT) compared to the community group, supporting the elevated levels of alexithymia in people with ASD. The PAQ may be important for recognising variability and individual differences among people with ASD, as whilst one third of participants with ASD scored in the "high alexithymia" range, two thirds did not. Identifying unique profiles of alexithymia may have key implications for personalised treatment and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Families are the most significant communication partners for an individual with complex communication needs. Even though family-centered approaches are recommended to support augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) services for an individual, it is difficult to establish a successful plan that fits each individual's family. A framework for practitioners is proposed to effectively obtain and understand information about a family's unique dynamics as part of service delivery to positively impact AAC device uptake and long-term use. The goal of using this model is to minimize the disruption to the family while maximizing the integration of the AAC system. This paper proposes and illustrates a framework to enrich AAC services through the integration of several theoretical models of family systems theory, family paradigms, and a procedure called the self-created genogram. This paper begins by reviewing ecological family systems theory and family systems to guide and provide a framework to support effective AAC implementation. The process of self-creating genograms is then introduced as a means to obtain a rich perspective on family characteristics and dynamics that is informed by the individual who uses AAC. All of this information allows professionals to provide relevant information and tailor options for the family. As a result, the family is able to make informed decisions about AAC intervention in a manner most consistent with how they typically operate. Finally, we apply this framework to a hypothetical case of a child with autism and complex communication needs across three timepoints (preschool, late elementary/early middle school, and high school/post-secondary transition) to demonstrate how this framework can be used in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an etiologically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition that eludes a single explanation or cure. Epidemiological studies reveal risk factors, relevant comorbidities, and behavioral correlates to reach a better understanding of ASD. To contribute such data from an understudied ASD population, this paper presents epidemiological data from a Turkish sample of individuals with ASD (n = 911, 748 boys (82.1%) and 163 girls (17.9%) between 1 and 18 years of age). Average age at diagnosis was 31.06 ± 11.88 months, and the male-to-female ratio was 4.6:1. Three in 4 individuals with ASD had obsessive behaviors, and 1 in 4 had allergic conditions, inappropriate sexual behaviors, self-harming behaviors, and harmful behaviors towards others. One in 3 received a dietary treatment for at least 3 months; almost half received vitamin supplements; the majority (70%) did not experience constipation; and 2 in 3 were picky eaters. This paper presents data on the age of diagnosis, gender ratios, accompanying behaviors, and dietary interventions in Turkish individuals with ASD, which are topics of current research interest about ASD. Such data from non-Western populations may supplement epidemiological knowledge gained from Western populations to help reach a more comprehensive understanding of this condition with many unknowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]