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100 Autism Research Paper Topics

Careful selection of autism research paper topics is very important. That’s because there are many autism topics that students can research and write about. The topic that a learner chooses dictates the direction that their research and writing process will take. As such, students should select their topic ideas based on their academic goals. Ideally, what a learner opts to write about should help them accomplish their study goals.

Autism can be defined as a spectral disorder that makes a child seem to have a world of their own. Many parents misinterpret this disorder and assume that the child does not notice them. However, this is usually not the case. Parents are the first people to notice this disorder. With more children being diagnosed with this disorder, educators are asking learners to write about autism essay topics.

If you’ve been asked to write about this subject, take your time to research this disorder. You can even read the autobiographies of autistic people. If possible, meet and interact with autistic people before you start writing. This will give you an idea of what this condition is all about. Our psychology topics may also come in handy. In most cases, you will be required to focus your paper or essay on the creation of more autism awareness. This article highlights some of the topics in autism that you can consider for your paper or essay.

Basic Autism Research Paper Topics

Autism is a broad research area. Researchers have delved into this field and came up with different findings. However, you can still pick a topic for your research in this field and come up with new information. Here are some of the most interesting research topics in autism that can form the basis of your academic paper or essay.

Why some people autistic and others are not?
Does being autistic have advantages?
Why is being autistic disadvantageous?
Some people have a good memory or recall skills, explain why
Facts that people should know about autism
Explain the chemical brain differences between autistic and non-autistic individuals
Discuss some of major breakthroughs in autism research
Why do people with autism have difficulty socializing with others?
What can normal people learn from autistic people’s brains?
What characteristics should a person with autism have?
How should an autistic person be trained during care provision?
What should caregivers understand about autism to do their job right?
Explain the behavior of autistic individuals towards family members
Provide an average autistic individual’s overview
How can the social interactions of autistic people be improved?
Explain what causes autism
What educational programs do autistic people have?
How to diagnose autism in the early stages
Explain the role of music in an autistic person’s life
Is there a treatment for reducing autistic people’s disadvantages?
What are the employment limitations and opportunities for autistic people?
Discuss the major stories about autism that have been shared in the media
What is yet to be discovered about autism?
Explain how healthcare workers can help autistic individuals go through their daily life
Describe the top 5 autistic individuals that are best known in history

These are some of the most interesting autism topics for research paper or essay. However, you should research them extensively before you start writing. That’s because each of these topics requires you to include verifiable facts in your paper or essay.

Strong Autism Dissertation Topics

With so many children being diagnosed with autism, more learners are writing dissertations on this subject. And there are many autism research topics from which a learner can choose. Here are some of the best autism thesis topics to consider.

Is there evidence to prove that environmental triggers are responsible for rising autism cases?
Explain the relationship between stimming self-regulator for anxiety and autism
Why is autism prevalence in western society greater?
How is autism related to mental health?
How can family doctors be supported to take care of autistic people?
Discuss autism and childhood immunization
Discuss some of the prominent individuals in history that were most likely autistic
How can autistic people be supported at the workplace?
How do autistic females differ from autistic males?
Can autistic children adapt to mainstream education?
What are the positives and negatives of special education for autistic children?
Should autistic children attend special schools?
Why do people consider autism a spectrum disorder?
What diagnostic changes have raised the concern that Asperger’s Syndrome might no longer exist
Does lifestyle play a role in autism?

Some of these topics on autism may seem complex to research and write about. However, you can find relevant and sufficient supporting evidence from different sources. You just need the time and resources required to write about any of these topics about autism.

Autism Parent Training Topics

Raising an autistic child is not easy. Parents and caregivers should learn about autism spectrum disorder and its effects on their children. They should also learn how this disorder affects the entire family. It’s for this reason that researchers focus on research topics in autism that educate parents and caregivers about taking care of autistic children. Here are some of the best autism social learning topics.

How to manage the parenting challenges for people with autistic children
How to enhance the communication skills of autistic children
How to enhance the coping skills of autistic children
How to address the negative behaviors of autistic children
How to increase the play skills of autistic children
How to diagnose autism early in children
How to increase the independence of autistic children
How to improve self-help in autistic children
How does autism in one child affect the other family members?
How to solve the daily problems of autistic children

Each of these topics is meant to produce a paper or essay that can help parents of autistic children cope with the disorder. The information can also help the parents make their children lead a better life despite their condition.

Paper Topics about Autism and Education

Since it’s a complex disorder that affects brain development, autism touches on education as well. Here are some of the good research paper topics on autism and education that you can write about.

Why is autism worth researching?
Discuss the causes of autism
Discuss the development realms that are affected by autism
What resources do autistic people have access to?
Explain how autistic children learn
Explain how autism affects the learning process
Explain the struggles of autistic students
Explain parent training autism
Discuss the major types of autism
How does learning differ between autistic and normal students?

These topics focus on the relationship between autism and learning or education. Just like the topics in the other categories, they require extensive research to write about too.

Autism Research Proposal Topics

A lot of information about autism is being discussed by researchers across the world. This makes it hard for some learners to pick proposal topics for their autism papers. Here are some of the topics to consider if struggling to pick your proposal topic.

What is autism therapy?
Is autism therapy helpful?
How should caregivers provide care to autistic persons?
What is the best way to work for an autistic person?
Working with an autistic person- What are the major challenges?
How do you cope with an autistic family member?
How should autistic people be treated in social places?
What limitations do autistic people have in modern society?
Is the current society considerate of autistic people?
How does modern technology benefit autistic people?

If you pick a research topic on autism from this category, take the time to research it extensively to write a brilliant paper or essay.

Thought-Provoking Autism Debate Topics

Perhaps, you want to write a paper or essay that can form the basis of a debate about autism. In that case, consider one of these topics.

How celebrities and pseudo-scientists have caused serious damage by claiming that autism is related to vaccinations
How to educate society about autism
How to change the future of autistic children with early interventions
How school officials can help autistic children
How to help autistic kids whose parents are uncooperative or in denial
How autistic children can benefit from occupational therapy
Discuss the DSM-V regarding autism
How educational opportunities for autistic children compare to those of normal children
How health officials can convince the public that shots don’t cause autism
Should children that have not been vaccinated because parents believe that vaccines cause autism be taken to school?
How to support siblings of an individual with autism
How to transition a person with autism to community-based services from school-based services.
How to fight for autistic people’s rights
How to deal with the psychological struggles of autistic children
How music affects autistic patients
Social organizations for autistic people
Why diagnosing autism early is important
Can autism be prevented?
How to interact with autistic people
What employment options do autistic people have?
How to manage autism in adults
A brief history of autism
How living with an autistic person can affect your life
How genetics affect autism
Can the environment cause autism?
Can medical treatment cause autism?
A review of autism in different countries
A review of autism in different cultures
What signs of autism should parents watch out for?
How to develop a treatment plan for autism

This category has controversial topics autism researchers can explore too. Nevertheless, whether you choose parenting or autism biology topics for research paper, take the time to research extensively before you start writing. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need thesis writing help .

Advances in autism research, 2021: continuing to decipher the secrets of autism

Julio Licinio ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6905-5884 1 &
Ma-Li Wong 1

Molecular Psychiatry volume 26 , pages 1426–1428 ( 2021 ) Cite this article

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Autism spectrum disorders
Neuroscience

We are proud to publish this Special Issue focused on autism, a topic that has been exceedingly important for Molecular Psychiatry since our inception. It is not too bold a statement to say that we were a fundamental contributor to bringing autism to the forefront of the national discourse. A Pubmed search reveals 403 articles published in Molecular Psychiatry since our founding in 1996. Our first autism article by Vincent et al., published in July 1996, examined the fragile X syndrome gene (FMR1) for mutations in autistic individuals, using single-stranded conformational polymorphism analysis; those authors identified three new FMR1 polymorphisms and identified specific and significant association findings with autism [ 1 ].

In late 2001–early 2002 we received four exciting papers with findings on the genetics of autism that were published together in our March 2002 issue, with an accompanying editorial [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. We issued then a press release that was picked up by Time magazine and served as the basis for their unprecedented May 6, 2002 cover story on autism, featuring as that iconic magazine’s cover a young boy who was visibly autistic [ 7 ]. That was the first time that a person with autism was the cover of a national magazine. The magazine’s cover displayed in big yellow letters “Inside the world of autism” and it had a subtitle stating “More than one million Americans may have it, and the number of new cases is exploding. What scientists have discovered. What families should know.” The full story, by Nash [ 8 ], was entitled: “The Secrets of Autism,” with the following subtitle: “The number of children diagnosed with autism and Asperger’s in the U.S. is exploding. Why?” Time ’s cover article was so successful that their editors expanded that from a single issue into an entire series on autism over multiple issues. That Time series effectively made autism emerge as a mainstream topic of kitchen table conversations across America. As that effort was triggered by our press release and four articles on autism, it is reasonable to boast that Molecular Psychiatry launched the national conversation on autism.

The four papers highlighted in our March 2002 issue were within the first 20 articles that we published on this topic. Now, 383 papers later, we have a much more substantial body of work that further unravels the secrets of autism, the culmination of which is this autism Special Issue, with 26 truly superb papers on autism [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. These extraordinary articles cover essentially all aspects of this disorder, from the training of specialists, to the interface with other disorders, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, and in-depth analyses of genetics, structural and functional imaging, as well as neuroscience, including postmortem brain studies, transcriptome of induced pluripotent stem cell models, assessments of the role of vitamin D, and studies highlighting the contributions of inflammatory mediators to autism.

We have had for over three decades a particular interest on the interface of immune mediators and psychiatric disorders [ 35 ]. It is very rewarding to see the interface of immune mediators and psychiatry evolve from a hypothesis, that we and others explored decades ago, into a broad and established area within psychiatric neuroscience. As we have developed a new model of analysis of the simultaneous contributions of multiple genes and environmental factors to a psychiatric phenotype [ 36 ], were also encouraged to see studies looking at the polygenic risk for autism in the context of childhood trauma, life-time self-harm, and suicidal behavior and ideation [ 30 ], as well in comparison to several other psychiatric disorders [ 32 ].

One paper in this issue, by Frye et al., is highly usual, and particularly intriguing: it investigates the role of the mitochondrion, in the influence of prenatal air pollution exposure on neurodevelopment and behavior in 96 children with autism spectrum disorder [ 22 ]. Second and third trimester average and maximal daily exposure to fine air particulate matter of diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM 2.5 ) was obtained from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System. Mediation analysis found that mitochondrial respiration linked to energy production accounted for 25% and 10% of the effect of average prenatal PM 2.5 exposure on neurodevelopment and behavioral symptoms, respectively. Those results suggest that prenatal exposure to PM 2.5 disrupts neurodevelopment and behavior through complex mechanisms, including long-term changes in mitochondrial respiration and that patterns of early development need to be considered when studying the influence of environmental agents on neurodevelopmental outcomes.

We are honored to have initiated the national conversation on autism twenty years ago and we believe that the 403 autism papers published to date in Molecular Psychiatry , including, but not limited to those highlighted in this Special Issue, report major advances in a key area of molecular psychiatry. It is particularly rewarding to see that these articles cover the full spectrum of research translation [ 37 ], from molecules to society.

In future issues, Molecular Psychiatry will continue to publish outstanding advances in autism research.

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Licinio, J., Wong, ML. Advances in autism research, 2021: continuing to decipher the secrets of autism. Mol Psychiatry 26 , 1426–1428 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01168-0

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-021-01168-0

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College of Education and Human Development

Department of Educational Psychology

Research topics: Autism

Identifying, preventing, and developing interventions related to autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. Research in the Department of Educational Psychology focuses on early identification, prevention measures, and interventions related to ASD.

LeAnne Johnson

Johnson (special education) researches interventions to improve outcomes for a range of preschool and elementary school-aged children who are at high risk given social, emotional, behavioral, and communication needs. Johnson is focused on creating the next generation of intervention studies that support high fidelity implementation of evidence-based interventions within tiered intervention and prevention models. This includes research projects that are designed to test the efficacy of social-communication interventions for children with autism.

Jason Wolff

Wolff (special education) runs a lab funded funded in-part by the National Institute of Mental Health with two goals -- to leverage brain imaging data to characterize factors associated with the early emergence of behavioral excesses and deficits in autism spectrum disorder, and to identify potential neurodevelopmental moderators of response to early intervention. The ultimate goal of this work is to determine how brain and behavioral data may be used to inform the timing and content of early or even preventative interventions.

Panayiota Kendeou

Kendeou (psychological foundations of education) investigates how people learn new knowledge and revise pre-existing incorrect knowledge or misinformation during their reading experiences. She is currently investigating how misinformation that resists correction influences reasoning and decision making in health issues pertaining to ASD (e.g., reliance on ineffective treatments, withholding vaccinations), and explore ways for effective revision.

M.Y. Savana Bak

Bak's research focuses on measurement and analysis of language in children with ASD using language samples collected from the children’s natural environment. She strives to develop practical interventions and identify environmental factors that facilitate language development and increase social interaction in children with ASD.

Related degrees

Phd in special education.

Interested in conducting research in autism spectrum disorder? Learn more about earning your doctorate in special education .

Related labs and projects

ALAB: A Lab for Autism Research
Reading + Learning Lab
Research lab: Jason Wolff

Autism Research Paper Topics: Autism In Children, Adults, and more

Autism is a difficult and painful topic to talk about. According to a CDC report , every 1 in 44 children has Autism in our time. Disorder of autism is one of the most radical forms of mental illness. Nevertheless, there are a number of types of it, as well as a number of different research topics related to them. Even though there is no cure for this disorder, many efforts have been made to prevent the occurrence of such disorders. All those efforts are necessary to deal with the effects autistic disorders may cause. It is the researchers who deserve the majority of the credit for this achievement. Research into autism is carried out every single day by thousands of researchers around the world. It is important that they play an important role in developing medicines, therapies, and techniques for interacting with people who suffer from autism in order to help them cope with the condition.

You have found your way onto our blog for autism research paper topics. It is safe to assume that you will be one of those researchers. We wish you good luck and a lot of breakthroughs. We are rooting for you to help make this world a better place. After offering you help writing medical papers and PhD research paper writing services for years, we are happy to share all that we know about autism research papers topics.

Table of Contents

Best Autism Research Paper Topics:

Writing a research paper on Autism is a challenging task. The first step towards accomplishing this is to have a brilliant and impeccable topic. Our research paper writers have spent days finding relevant and catchy autism research paper topics to help you accomplish wonders. Let’s have a look.

Autism Research Paper Topics For High School

High school students often have to write research papers for high school assignments and grades. Their limited access to top level neurological disorder always hinder the quest for answering research questions about autism. That’s why students need extra help and hands to make it to the end. Our professional writers have curated some of the best autism topics for high school students. Here we go!

Social Camouflage in Autistic People
Are there any high schools for autistic children?
The case of the near-normal autistic adolescents
Recent Theoretical Trends and Relevance for Autism
Programs and rehabilitation in infantile Autism
Asperger’s Disorder and Criminal Behavior
Perceptual over-functioning in Autism
The Level and Nature of Autistic Intelligence
Living with Autism in developing countries
Early Childhood Development With Autistic Children
A study of the most significant scientific discoveries of Autism
Case of miracle children who recover from Autism
Autism as a disorder of perception
Early Intervention For Toddlers With Autism
Studies struggle to pin down gender differences in Autism
Autism cases in the same family more often carry different genetic risks
Autism: An Obstacle To Communication
The stages of language acquisition in Autism
Cognitive aspects and intelligence of autistic people
Anxiety in adults and children with autism spectrum disorder
Stress coping techniques for people with Asperger’s syndrome
History, characteristics and origin of autism
Autism according to psychology
Childhood autism, its detection, treatment and education
Advances / setbacks in treatment and educational systems for children with autism
Role of social and digital media in raising awareness and notion of autism symptoms through graphic campaigns
A brief history of the pioneers in the study of autism

We hope the topics above answered your autism research questions. For more high school research topics, visit: High School Research Topics

Medical and Autism Research Paper Topics

Autism is a great topic for research in medicine and surgery. Autism is often linked to medical research topics as well.

The link between Autism and the digestive system
Neuroscientific efforts made regarding Autism
Autism and neurophysiology of the nervous system
Safety and health of an autistic person during the COVID 19 Pandemic
Gastrointestinal problems in autistic children
The threat of heart diseases/conditions in autistic person
Genetic variants to Autism and intellectual disability
Impact of mild mutations on Autism
Medically and anatomically, understanding how the brain works in individuals with Autism
Main physical characteristics and health issues of children with Autism
Impact of autism syndrome on health status
Clinical descriptions of Autism
Adaptation of physicians’ practice during the consultation towards people with autism spectrum disorder
Necessary good knowledge of Autism to provide every physician
Preparing the autistic child for invasive procedures
Analytical approach to interactions with autistic people during a visit to doctor’s
volution of the clinical definition of Autism
Etiological heterogeneity of Autism
Autism: clinical issues

Are these topics about autism satisfying your curiosity on this subject? If not, then read the topics for university students they’ll definitely answer the research questions on autism for you. Read on.

Autism Research Topics For University Students

When studying in a university, writing a research paper is a compulsory part of almost every faculty.

Group of symptoms in autism spectrum disorders
Are ADHD and Autism related? How? Why? Or Why Not?
Misconceptions and detective errors in the autism diagnosis
Characteristics of Autism in young children
Detection of Autism at the early stages
Reasons behind rising numbers of autism cases
Abilities and needs of people with Autism
How can we enable people with Autism to live independently?
Lifelong care and support for autistic person: A thorough guide
Evidence-based psychosocial interventions to improve communication and social skills of autistic individuals
Well-being and quality of life of people with Autism and their caregivers
Stigma, discrimination and human rights violations faced by autistic people
Measures and social initiatives to make the environment more accessible for autistic people
Hot topics in autism research
Social work to provide equal access to autism assessments
Effective autism drugs

Read More: Biology Research Paper Topics

Autism Paper Topics For Psychiatry

Assessing the potential of autistic children based on their strengths
What should define Autism: deficits or abilities?
Impairment of social reciprocity and how psychiatry can help the autistic person?
Alteration of non-verbal behaviors with Autism
The term autistic in psychiatry
Definition of the Autism Syndrome in light of psychology
Psychological help with Autism for language functions
The limits of psychiatric interventions in Autism
Explanatory psychological theories of autism spectrum disorder
Socialization problems and inappropriate effects on children with Autism
Transcultural psychiatry related to Autism
The psychological effects of Autism spectrum disorder within families
Biopsychosocial, on married, family, and professional life while living with Autism
Impacts of autism spectrum disorder on physical or mental health status
Impacts of Autism on social life
Role of environmental factors in autistic Development
The spectrum of social reactions to Autism in the media
Socially unacceptable or dangerous behavior and invasive psychiatry methods with autistic people
Autism and memory: discussion and conclusions
Study of the cognitive, socio-emotional evolution and autistic behaviors of children with Autism
Classification of mental disorders in children and adolescents associated with autism
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
From autism to pervasive developmental disorders
Hans Asperger’s Autistic Psychopathy

For more psychology topics, explore Paper Perk’s: Psychology Research Paper Topics For 2022

Research Questions Related To Autism

Autism is one of the most popular research paper topics in the academic world. Many questions have been asked to contribute to that. Let’s look at one of the most popular questions among them.

Impaired Development and maintaining relationships: How to provide autistic children with social help?
How to improve communication in an autistic child at a developmental age?
What are the major symptoms of Autism in children at an early age ?
How do researchers contribute to discoveries related to Autism spectrum disorder?
Is Autism one of the pervasive developmental disorders?
What are the types and extent of language disorders in children with Autism?
What are the theoretical approaches to childhood autism?
What are the experiences, Issues, And Challenges Of Immigrant Parents Having A Child With ASD?
What is the description of diagnostic criteria for Autism?
What is the description of the types of language impairment
What are the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder that impact the lives of related people?
What are the collateral factors that parents of autistic children must deal with?
What are other Related Disorders of Autism?
What are the political actions around Autism we took last decade?
What is the social model for autistic culture?
Is it okay to call someone autistic? Are moral ambiguities concerned with Autism
How to deal with mood swings in autistic teenagers?
What are the essentials of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis?
What are the basics of support for autism spectrum disorder?
What are the statistical analysis and evaluation methods for infant children?
Can autistic people understand sarcasm? How can we help them understand and enjoy the comic colors of life?
What are the main characteristics that can be found in an Asperger’s person?
How is Rett syndrome relevant to Autism Spectrum Disorders?
What do we know about the causes and effects of Rett’s syndrome?
What are the main challenges of early detection of autism in psychiatry?
What are the risk factors of childhood disintegrative disorder?
What do we know about Leo Kanner’s Early Infantile Autism?
Is it possible to have developed autism after childhood?

Interesting Autism Paper Topics

Appearance and evolution of the term autism in the 20th century
Classification and diagnosis of Autism
Definition of Pervasive Developmental Disorders
The care pathway for children with Autism and their family
Cross-cultural practice with immigrant parents who have a child with Autism
Representations of autism spectrum disorder in immigrants
Financial stress, lack of knowledge of the services available, and delays in the detection and diagnosis of Autism
Lack of social and family support networks for people with Autism in developing countries
Development of Asperger’s symptoms in teenage years
Development of autistic syndrom over time and in later ages of life
Difficulties experienced by immigrant parents having an affected child from autism spectrum disorder
Joint attention in early autism spectrum disorder
The instruments for measuring parental stress in parents with an autistic child
Health implications of child autistic children
Socio-demographic characteristics of families with more than one autistic children
The role of knowledge in changing attitudes and behaviours with Autism
Verbal and non-verbal communication disorders
Imitation and communication in children with Autism
Pathology of childhood disintegrative disorder and associated disorders
Repetitive and/or restricted behaviors and activities associated with childhood disintegrative disorder
A complex and difficult diagnosis of childhood disintegrative disorder
Comparison between childhood disintegrative disorder and autism

Best Autism Thesis Topics

Autism symptoms and parental quality of life
Autism symptoms and parental stress
Minor symptoms that autistic adults may have
Interventions for children with autism disorder
Contemporary issues of today’s families affected by autism spectrum disorder
Parental stress, ASD, and attachment
Quality of the bond of attachment of children with ASD
Autism experienced daily
Autism and its communication landscape
The spectrum of social statuses, designations and qualifiers associated with Autism
Methodology and strategies for autism effects data analysis
The portrayal of Autism in media and marginalized populations
Autistic people and families: from disarray to protest
The role of the media to reduce and end the stereotypes about Autism Spectrum Disorder
A theoretical approach to autism spectrum disorders
Focus on people with Autism without intellectual disabilities
Associations of parents of autistic children
Diagnostic assistance for adults with high-functioning Autism
Mild forms of autism spectrum disorder in adults
General information on the diagnosis of Autism
Differentiation criteria in the social representations of autistic children among educators

Research Topics For Different Types Of Autism

Neuropsychological study of memory in autism
Studies concerning memory in autism
Fatigue and fatigability due to a double or multiple task situation with Asperger’s Syndrome
Enhancing learning social codes and school subjects for persons with Asperger’s syndrome
Improving life for people with Asperger’s syndrome via social activities
Social activities to help people with autism spectrum disorder
Greatest works and achievements about autism research
Clumsiness, motor coordination problems in autistic people
Selective silence in people with Asperger’s Syndrome
Differential diagnosis for Asperger’s Syndrome
Clinical description of Asperger’s syndrome
Impairment of conversational skills in people with Asperger’s syndrome
Disorders of executive functions with Asperger’s Syndrome
Deficit of conversational skills in Asperger’s Syndrome
The development of conversational skills in a typical person: How are they different from autistic people?
Is ADHD somehow related to ASD? How can you prove your stance?
Peculiarities of functioning of people with Asperger’s Syndrome
Socialization difficulties: Variations in different types of autism
General presentation of Asperger’s syndrome
Is Elon Musk really suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome? What is the truth of it?
Why Rett’s syndrome mostly affects females?
Genetic mutations leading to Rett’s syndrome
Autism spectrum disorder: is it a good thing in anyway?
What is duplication syndrome and how it is related to Rett’s syndrome?
What are the major Instruments that assess “autistic traits”?
Using genetics to support the clinical diagnosis of different types of autism
How to treat the symptoms of Rett’s syndrome
Pharmacological approaches to treat autism
Diagnosis of Rett’s syndrome
Major symptoms of Rett’s syndrome
Comparing Ssucharewa, Asperger and Kanner disorder’s
Prevalence, epidemiology and comorbidities in the autism spectrum disorder
Adolescence and Asperger’s syndrome
Reports of behavior in autism spectrum disorder
Sensory processes in autism spectrum disorder

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165 Autism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Struggle with writing a research paper topics on autism? We’ve got your back covered! Below, you will find a list of 147 topics about autism as well as autism research paper examples!

🏆 Best Research Autism Topics & Essay Examples

👍 good autism essay topics, 💡 psychology research autism topics to write about, ⭐ simple & easy autism essay titles, ❓ research questions about autism.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Autism is a serious disorder that has the potential to disrupt the success of people living with it. This is to mean that the theory of causation regarding autism is not complete as yet.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Child At the moment, M.is more verbal with his parents and siblings and reacts adequately to them, especially in repeated day-to-day situations.
“Let Me Hear Your Voice: A Family’s Triumph Over Autism” by Catherine Maurice The book was published in 1994, and it was a success as parents of autistic children were waiting for someone to prove that autism was not an incurable disorder.
Analysis of Children Autism in “The Black Balloon” It is imperative to note that Charlie’s emotions are not regulated and as such, manifest in immature behaviors such as flapping of his hands.
How Christopher’s Autism Affect His Life In spite of the fact that the issue of autism is not clearly explained in the story, the condition of the narrator is referred to as high-functioning autism or Aspersers Syndrome on the cover of […]
Social Work Methods to Treat the Child Who Is Suffering From Autism This is a clear indicator that alcohol intake by the family is costing the members and it is an issue that needs to be looked into.
Inclusion Curriculum for Children With Autism In the given paper, the issue of children autism, the developmental issues that autism triggers and the educational prospects for children with autism are going to be considered.
Autism. Sensory Integration. Tactile Desensitization The poor development that is recorded at the early stages in life is likely to affect the development of different skills by the individuals even in the adult stages The signs that are associated with […]
Autism and Educational Process Owing to these adverse effects that can stem from autism and the shear prevalence of the condition in the country’s population, a lot of research effort has been dedicated to the early diagnosis and treatment […]
Reducing Off-Task Behaviors Using a Token Economy System in Children With Autism Token economy is a strategy of positive reinforcement that can be provided to children in the form of tokens for completing the assigned tasks.
Autism Spectrum Disorders and Family Impact One of the greatest fears of a parent with such a child is the fact that such a child would be taken care of until the advanced stages of their lives.
Language Development Problems in Children: An Indicative Characteristic of Autism This is because it is a time when it is expected that a majority of the kids should be able to talk.
Applied Behavior Analysis and Autism The primary subject of this study is applied behavior analysis while the secondary subject is applied behavior analysis and its effects on autism in children.
Autism Spectrum Disorder However, the reality is that the number of children with autism and having high intelligence is insignificant. It is apparent that, in autism, a disorder is found in the structure of the brain.
Exploring Autism in the Drama Film Rain Man Charlie Babbitt, the brother to Raymond, is the actor who portrays Raymond’s autism on the way to Los Angeles to secure his fair share in the Babbitt’s $3 million fortunes in form of inheritance.
Impact of Autism Disorder on Adolescents This essay discusses the impact of autism disorder on adolescents in the community and a nursing intervention that can be used to assist adolescents in becoming prominent society members.
Progression of Reading Ability in a Child Diagnosed With Autism The battery of assessments and interviews with parents on the participant’s socialization and early reading ability indicates the study applied the Psychometric and Social Contextual approaches.
Analysis of Behavior of Preschool Age Child With Autism The child’s behavior in the video differs from that of a mentally healthy child, and these differences lie in the child’s other emotional state and degree of interest in talking to people.
Autism and Disability Advocacy People with autism can contribute to the diversity of disability culture by expanding understanding of what disability is and how it can be accepted.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnosis According to DSM-5, to fit the diagnostic criteria for ASD, a child must have evident deficits in three major areas of social communication as well as 2 out of the 4 restricted or repetitive behaviors.
Thinking in Pictures: Autism and Sensory Problems The chapter “The Squeeze Machine: Sensory Problems in Autism” in Grandin’s Thinking in Pictures presents a series of life perspectives of various individuals, including her own, regarding the sensory problems they experienced. They postulated that […]
Therapeutic Programs for Children With Autism in K-12 Institutions In the paper, the gaps in the research of effective treatments for children with ASD are explored, after which the efficacy of a multi-system aquatic therapy and standardized equine-assisted therapy program is argued.
Societal Issue Research Project: Autism Spectrum Disorder The first factor is the significant risk that the genetics of siblings who had ASD diagnosis will increase the chance of the disorder.
Child-Centered Play Therapy and Autism The purpose of the discussed research was to investigate the effects of CCPT on the sample of children with autism, establishing and describing the connection between CCPT and social and emotional growth.
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Training Program for Caregivers The latter means that many caregivers take care of children with ASD, hence the importance of equipping them with the necessary skills for effective and smooth parenting and coping with various difficulties.
Autism Spectrum Disorder’s Impact on Child’s Learning In regards to the public-school setting, standardized testing demands youngsters to grasp and react to spoken as well as written communication at an anticipated pace and level.
Laboratory Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders The purpose of my study is to discover which of these methods is more accurate, with the reason being the importance of early diagnosis of ASD, which leads to better treatment outcomes.
Autism and Related Cognitive Concepts It has been suggested that children with autism show a general deficit of cognitive skills in multilevel planning and in the regulation of behavior.
Bullying and Autism Spectrum Disorder In fact, bullying as a social phenomenon can be characterized as a social and interaction issue; therefore, it is possible to analyze the connection between autism and acts of bullying and inappropriate behavior.
Aspects of Autism Spectrum Disorder Overall, for children with autism spectrum disorder, it is quite complicated to learn the norms within society around them, as they are having difficulties comprehending other people’s emotions and behavior.
Face Emotion Recognition in Autism Phenotype One critical aspect of social communication is the capability to apprehend the emotions and intentions of another person. In conclusion, Autism Spectrum Disorder makes the interpretation of facial expressions difficult.
How Does Having a Child With Autism Affects Parents’ Lifestyle? The creation of a system of psychological, pedagogical and social support can reduce the risk of a complete family life dedication to a child with autism.
Misrepresentation of Autism in the ‘Music’ Film While the film was not centered on the topic of autism as its message, the stereotype-heavy portrayal and a lack of research make it a harmful piece of media.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Prevalence and Impact in Society It has therefore been impossible to determine the level of increase in autism cases that is as a result of improved diagnostic measures and that which can be attributed to the real increase in autism […]
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Diagnosis, Impact, Treatment The main diagnostic element for ASD is the evidence of difficulties, either in the present or past, which are different across the age groups.
Autism and Vaccination Refusal Management Among Somalian Parents Somalian parents in their community in Minnesota refuse from their children being vaccinated, as they believe that vaccination causes autism.
Everyone Has the Power to Effect Positive Change Within the Autism Community This paper presents what is autism, how every one reacts to the problem, what is the difference between the rich and the poor in their response towards the problem.”Autism is one of five developmental disorders […]
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Key Points The requirement to meet these needs is supported by the fact that the rate of students with ASD is high: according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, more than 83 per cent of […]
“Theoretical Aspects of Autism” by Helen Ratajczak On the whole, it is possible to say that the standards set by Austin Hill cannot be always met, in part because the physiological aspects of this disease have not been fully investigated.
Dr. Temple Grandin’s Argument on Visual Thinking and Autism A more in-depth analysis of visual activities can reveal the all imagery can be mentally processed and modified by children so that images are rotated and analyzed to make the brain map expand.
Intellectual Disability: Autism In their adulthood, and because of the communication issues that most individuals with autism tend to have, they will naturally have difficulty in finding and keeping jobs.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Children With Autism On the positive side, it fastens the production of different types of reactive oxygen used in the body. It is arguable that the size of the samples used in the study was small.
Occupational Therapy for Children With Autism The main reason for the appearance of autism is the disturbance of the development of the patients brain which results in the appearance of various symptoms.
The Mitochondria and Autism – Results and Main Function The results are important in health because children with autism were more probable to have dysfunctions and abnormalities of the mitochondria such as over replication and deletion of mitochondrial DNA compared to those without the […]
Autism Etiology, Symptoms, Beliefs, and Management To date, debate on the cause or etiology of autism still remains divided, with extant literature demonstrating that “although many hypotheses have been proposed, a singular or specific combination of causes has yet to be […]
Quantitative Assessment of Neuromotor Function in Adolescents With High Functioning Autism: Critique The study authors did not give the benefits and/or risks associated with the study participation. The authors indicated that the ZNA was appropriate for collecting the data because it could measure the 11 parameters of […]
Critical Appraisal on the Impact of Autism Spectrum Disorders on the Family: A Qualitative Study of Mothers’ Perspectives The study researchers established the significance of the study by outlining the social and financial implications of taking care of children with ASD.
Autism: External Forces, Causes and Treatment The increasing prevalence of Autism in the United States and across the world is attracting great attention from the healthcare sector to design critical programs tailored to stem the disorder in terms of prevention, treatment, […]
The Importance of Services for Children With Autism The plea of the majority of Americans for the reverse of healthcare budget allocation is well because it is wrong to interfere with services offered to children with autism. With childcare initiative in place, the […]
Autism: General Information and Treatment She argues that the treatment of autism is through scientific proven medication that aids in controlling aggressive behaviors and that Trisperidone is the commonly used antipsychotic.
The Issue of Autism: Task-Group Project The role of B.N.in the meeting can be seen as a summarizer, providing a summary of the minutes of the previous meeting.
Concepts of Autism and Williams Syndrome The disorder manifests itself in the early years of a child’s life, with long-lasting effects that are not curable but controllable and easy to deal with on condition that, the concerned parties take the necessary […]
Autism Programs to Enhance Students’ Outcomes In addition to social and behavioral challenges, ASD typically hinders a learner’s ability to gain and process the necessary academic information.
Autism Program’s Impact Across Contexts In other words, a detailed overview of the issues that administrators face when designing the program and which the teachers have to deal with when addressing the needs of children with autism must be carried […]
Autism: Teaching Plan for Taking All the Features Into Account For the first child, caregiver training was done at child’s bedroom, and for the second child it was done at living room, and for the third child with severe mental retardation it was carried out […]
Education Considerations for Students With Autism Two articles under consideration consider the opposite views regarding the education of students with autism; on the basis of the information obtained from these articles, it can be stated that none of the perspectives is […]
Autism Spectrum Disorders: Diagnostic Procedure In general, this journal is very interesting and it is an important contribution to the development of appropriate screening and identification procedures for children with ASD.
Developmental Psychology: Autism and Vaccination Vaccination of infants is widely used today as the pattern of endemic diseases can be explained in terms of interplay of social, physical and biological factors in an area that is conducive to a continuous […]
Proposal for the Organization of the Concert in Autism Support The paper will be focused on the organizational aspects of the autism support concert and the people to be invited to this meeting attendance.
The Development of Autism Analysis The paper will disclose the interviews of this famous and significant person whom managed to give all her efforts to the development of autism charitable programs and contribute to autism support all over the world. […]
Autism and Immunization: Vaccines and the Changing Epidemiology The interest and attention invoked by this paper were largely due to the fact that it appeared to provide a biological means through which MMR vaccine resulted in autism.
Do Vaccinations Cause Autism in Children? Autism is defined by the Autism Society of America as ” a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first 3 years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects […]
Autism. Child and Family Assessment The other common disorder associated with autism is that of mutism whereby it also lies under the category of speech disorder and in many cases it is difficult to be diagnosed and at the same […]
Autism and False Belief in Psychology The theories are found to be covering the deficits of an individuals’ mind and factors relating to autism, research further indicates that a child’s behavior may be influenced by the executive functions this, therefore, brings […]
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Interventions However, the negative side of it is that such an intervention is limited to those patients who are verbal and have limited vocabulary.
Autism: Methods of Diagnosing and Treatment Analysis A malfunction in the neural circuitry of the brain of those with autism is the likely cause of their perceptions regarding social interaction and lack of adequate cognitive abilities.
Autism: Symptoms, Forms, Diagnostic Instruments Autism is basically a developmental disorder of the human brain that its first symptoms are initially manifested in infancy and it follows a steady cause without relapse.
Mercury, Vaccines and Autism: One Controversy, Three Histories In due course of time, the emergence of organomercurials as effective agents in combating bacterial contamination of vaccines slowly resulted in the research on and inclusion of thimerosal, a white crystalline powder in the form […]
Autism Spectrum Disorder Features in Children One of the causes for the appearance of these issues is an inborn disability that might presuppose the need for specific methods to educate a child and guarantee a chance for integration with society.
Autism Occurrence by Measles Vaccine Status The organization of information in the text follows a logical format by introducing the background for the vaccine, incorporating the issue of ASD connection, and leading up to the primary research question.
Parental Report of Vaccine Receipt in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In the introduction, which is the first section, the study’s research problems and their significance to nursing are stated. The discussion section covers how the authors relate the findings to the research objective and the […]
Teenagers With Autism Disorder Autism is seen as a spectrum disorder since its severity and symptoms vary greatly among affected individuals – from mild and occasional to persistent and interfering with all aspects of life.
Impact of Autism Spectrum Disorders on Life However, between the ages of two and three, his lack of verbal activity and inability to “echo” simple sounds and syllables were found to be very concerning by the family.
Risperidone in Children With Autism: ANOVA Article The variables used in the article are sufficient for the investigation, and they would not be changed. The study authors assume that risperidone and placebo treatments would have significant variations in the mental abilities of […]
Autism Should Not Be Viewed as a Disability A good example is that the treatment of autism as a mental disorder makes it possible for pharmaceutical companies and clinics to invent new health systems or procedures that will meet the needs of the […]
Autism Spectrum and Features of Health Conditions Nevertheless, the manifestations of the autism spectrum also depend on the intellectual abilities of the person and his or her age.
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder For instance, the researchers have reviewed the findings by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the Government Accountability Office to present the statistics on children with ASD and the increase in the number […]
Autism: Main Symptoms and Research Major symptoms of the disorder are repetitive behavior, abnormal communication development, and motor skills development. Major symptoms of autism are repetitive behavior, abnormal motor skills, and communication development.
Autist Student’s Behavior and Remedial Plan In the process of reading, I would pay attention to the student’s concentration and ability to integrate what she was reading. She also took long in doing this and did not want to stop the […]
Autism Treatment, Its Methods and Results It was appropriate to focus on the use of the DSE intervention and examine if addressed most of the challenges facing many ASD patients.
The Physiological Impact of Autism on Children and Parents It is possible to speak about the physiological impact of ASD on children and their parents in the UK, and the detailed examination of this issue is required. To review the literature on possible barriers […]
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Programs Effectiveness The purpose of this PE, therefore, is to evaluate and analyze the efficiency of the programs implemented by the Day Support Services.
Autism: Characteristics, Prevalence and Interventions The symptoms of autism are noticeable in the early years of childhood. Occupational therapy is one of the non-educational interventions used to assist kids with autism.
Students With Autism Spectrum Disorders The main goal of this paper is to present a review of relevant literature addressing the issue of helping college students with ASD prepare for workforce readiness and job placement.
Autism Treatment Network in the PEACE Program In order to use these resources in PEACE, it is necessary to establish a budget that will cover expenditures on training courses for specialists involved in the program, educational materials, seminars, and individual counseling.
Association Between Vaccination and Autism The study examined whether there is a link between the toxic effects of exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines and the risk of developing ASD.
Olfaction and Autism Spectrum Disorder Relationship These findings reveal that the sniff test can reveal both the presence and severity of ASD in young children. The link between ASD and olfaction can be used in diagnosing young children with autism.
Vaccination Contrubution to Autism Development This anxiety has led to a civic health dispute about the civil liberties of parents to decide whether to vaccinate their children, along with the state regulation on vaccinations to guard the wellbeing of its […]
Abu Dhabi Autism Center The Abu Dhabi Autism Center has to operate within the laws and regulations of the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs.
Applied Behavior Analysis Treatment for Autism It is the most commonly applied autism treatment remedy in the United States and several other countries in the world and the major method that schools and therapists embrace and use.
Involving Adults With Autism Plus Learning Disability Since the method is interviewing, a particular aspect of the study that should be addressed with attention is the researchers’ perspective.
Inclusive Education: Child With Autism and Spina Bifida It is worth mentioning that Ted’s mother is willing to cooperate with teachers, and her participation can be of great assistance to the teacher.
Bright Not Broken: Gifted Kids, ADHD, and Autism It is possible to state that the book provides rather a high-quality review of the issues about the identification, education, and upbringing of the 2e children.
Case Law and Case Study of a Student With Autism On reviewing the evaluation results in the presence of the student’s mother, an agreement was reached on the general education placement for the student.
Children With Autism’ Communication in Saudi Arabia Parents of children with autism in Saudi Arabia have complained that the government has neglected the needs of autistic children by failing to finance their education and research to detect the effectiveness of the digital […]
Autism Spectrum Disorders: Testing and Measurement It will begin with the rationale that explain why the issues are critical, followed by the reasons for unavailability of the solutions to the issues and the consequences of the issues.
Autism Spectrum Disorders and Educational Interventions From this point, this paper aims to discuss the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders, examine the etiology and incidence of the disorder, focus on the prevalence of autism, and analyze the effectiveness of the DTT […]
Autism Expressed: Branding Strategy and Marketing The promise that the brand offers to the public should be in line with the desires of the clients. This firm will need to prepare this branding strategy in a way that will meet its […]
Vaccines and Autism: Separating Facts From Fiction The advocacy groups say that thimerosal, a preservative used in vaccines, is toxic to the central nervous system and responsible for an alarming rise in rates of autism among children in the United States and […]
Self-Injury in Autism: Applied Behavior Analysis Applied behavior analysis incorporates the utilization of direct perception, estimation, and useful investigation of the relations in the middle of the environment and conduct.
Lesson for Learners With Autism: Reflection Observation The essay identifies the instructional methods used by the teacher during the exercise. The teacher also guided the learners to solve the mathematical problems using different visual objects.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Concept Besides, Temple often explores her own experiences and attempts to understand the feelings of others that are unavailable to her by visualizing herself as other creatures people and animals.
Dubai Autism Center’ Quality Management TQM employs strategies and effective communication within the organization to incorporate the quality principles into the culture and activities of the organization to ensure that all the activities are geared towards satisfying the customers.
Vaccination and Autism in Children The problem with this case is that while it may be true that the cause for the development of autism in children have yet to be fully determined, the fact remains that there have been […]
Video Modeling for Individuals With Autism The video model will be developed according to the needs of autistic children, with the focus on the role of visual and auditory stimuli in the teaching process.
The Effects of Vaccines on Autism From their study, the findings demonstrate that the presence of thimerosal is one of the causes of the disorder. It is imperative to state that they have used many studies that have indicated that there […]
Vaccination as a Cause Autism This paper borrows on the arguments of Monica Prasad and Washington and Haydn when they argue that the belief about vaccinations as a primary cause of autism stems from emotional, psychological, and behavioral barriers, as […]
Youth With Autism Disorder: Education and Employment This includes the communication patterns of the teenager, the extent of social relations and the unusual behavioral characteristics of the teenager in the environment.
Autism Children Education Inclusion Policy in Private Schools: Compulsory Enrollment Policy 2011 The following are the main areas will be addressed by the policy: Prohibited Private schools will be prohibited from ignoring the needs of children suffering from autism; they will be compelled by the act to […]
Autism: Pathogenesis and Intervention Similarly, a person with autism has to be trained on the process of communicating normally and forming a relationship with objects, events and people in their lives.
The Real Causes of Autism However, the main problem is that this association or correlation does not imply that autism is triggered by a vaccine. This is the main argument that can be put forward.
Autism Effect on Children It is crucial to understand the behavior of children with autism in the school set up in order to understand how autism affects children and their social interactions. It is up to the teacher to […]
Autism and Its Effects on Social Interaction The article “Social Impairment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder” identifies the major challenges facing many people with autism. The authors wanted to examine the social problems and difficulties encountered by individuals with Autism Spectrum […]
Older Dads More Likely to Have Kids With Autism The author highlights autism as one of the main outcomes of late fatherhood following the release of the results of a study involving the counting of the mutations corresponding to a father’s age at the […]
Evidenced-Based Practice: Autism Management in Children Autism largely is connected to communication abilities of a child, a situation that later results into the child experiencing disability problems in effectively encoding and decoding communicative messages.
Miami Dance Project for Autistic Children For me, what the Miami dance project represents is in line with what is known as the concept of confidence building wherein through the development of certain talents children with autism will begin to have […]
Program Models in Autism The DTT technique has been designed in such a way as to target the individual behavior of an autistic child using the available curriculum.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Relation to Education Attending to students having ASD in the regular classrooms requires specialized teachers and supplementary staff in order to aid in the realization of the needs of the students having ASD.
Critical Analysis of Published Articles: Autism It was therefore the goal of the research to find out if the negative attitude of people towards autistic children can be altered to the benefit of the parents.
Autism in Saudi Arabia This support may come in the form of modification of the curriculum to cater for the special needs of the autistic children.
Analysis of Autism Disorder This disorder affects the brain of the child during growth so that it does not develop in the right way thus affecting the social and communication skills of the child. This is especially to the […]
One-To-One Programs: Supporting Autistic Children The purpose of conducting this essay will be to examine the educational intervention of one-to-one support programs during normal school times within a mainstream classroom and also to discuss the challenges faced by teachers and […]
Psychological Disorders and Their Treatment: An Overview of the Recent Progress and the Current Challenges in Treating Autism in Children In the given paper, the issue of psychological disorders is being addressed in reference to the ideas expressed in Chapter 11 “Psychological Disorders” in Carole Wade and Carol Tavris’s Invitation to Psychology.
Early Intervention for Young Adults With Autism This is due to unavailability of information on children development stages and the importance of early detection and intervention in the case of autism.
Different Behaviors in Children With Autism The purpose is to find out whether the co morbidity changes with the environment, and assess the influence that the environment has on the behavior of an autistic child.
Diagnosis and Treatment for Autism Disorder Children with autism are therefore able to reason and even interpret the feelings of other people but the challenge is to communicate the response to other people.
Autism: Qualitative Research Design Golafshani continues to argue that the use of the term “dependability” in qualitative studies is a close match to the idea of “reliability” in quantitative research.
Treatment of Autism With the Use of the Picture Exchange Communication System There are lots of types of this communication system that may be used with children, who have autism, and one of them is the Picture Exchange Communication System that is characterized by a proper picture […]
Vaccines and Autism: A Critical Analysis of Thimerosal in Relation to Measles, Mumps, and Rubella The safety and efficacy of vaccines has been the subject of many studies in the medical field. The disorder was observed in one participant from each of the cohorts in the experiment.
How to Recognize and Teach Students With Autism If these groups of students have to be given directions that are more than three steps, the directions have to be written down due to their inability to remember sequences.
Autism and Visual Thought Suprisingly the quality of visual thinking according to Bogdashina is dependent on other factors like time and the state the autistic person is in.
Do Vaccines Cause Autism? Thimerosal is alleged to increase the exposure of mercury in the vaccine to a substantiated high amount. In fact, the amount of antigens between children with autism and without is the same irrespective of the […]
The Disease of Autism Origin The disorder is one of the new diagnoses of the autism. Other effects of the disorder are constipation and growth failures that may be a problem to the lives of the individual.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Its Impact on the Family Manning, Wainwright and Bennet argue that children with autism are faced with a big challenge because of the nature of the symptoms the disorder.
Autism’s Teaching Tips for Children and Adults The present description is concerned with the role of teacher in the better management of Autism in children. Further, assessment of the interactive and developmental skills is on of the important component in the teacher […]
What Are Autism Spectrum Disorders?
How Does Autism Affect the Person With It and Those Around Them?
What Are the Barriers of Learning for a Learner With Autism/Aspergers in Performing Arts?
Does Gluten Effect Children With Autism?
What Are the Causes of Autism?
How Does Autism Affect a Child’s Educational Performance?
What Can Autism Look Like and Things You Can Do to Spot It?
Can Children With Autism Develop a Theory of Mind?
Which Interventions Reduce Anxiety in Autistic People?
What Influence Has the Development of Autism Had on a Diagnosed Individual?
How Does Autism Affect the Development of a Child?
Are Huddles the Missing Piece of the Puzzle in Implementing Clinical Innovation for the Eating Disorder and Autism Comorbidity?
How Does Autism Start?
Can Mouse Imaging Studies Bring Order to Autism Connectivity Chaos?
How Does ‘Fake News’ Affect Autism Policy?
Are There Any Relationships Between Latent Toxoplasma Gondii Infection, Testosterone Elevation, and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder?
How Do People With Autism Experience the World?
Can Robotic Systems Promote Self-Disclosure in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder?
How Did the Media Perpetuate the Autism-Vaccine Scare?
Are There Cultural Differences in Parental Interest in Early Diagnosis and Genetic Risk Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder?
How Can the Therapist Help Autism Children?
Can Vaccinations Cause Autism?
Does Autism Spectrum Disorder Affect People All Around the World?
Is There a Correlation Between Epigenetics and Autism Spectrum Disorder?
How Does Autism Affect Regular Brain Functions as Well as Socialization Skills?
What Can Responses to Music in Autism Tell Us About the Nature of Musical Emotions?
Why Has the Incidence Rate of Autism Increased?
What Are the Most Effective Ways to Support/Provide Social Care For Autistic Adults?
Which Interventions Are Effective in the Development of Communication/Language Skills in Autism?
How Can Parents and Family Members Be Supported/Educated to Care For and Better Understand an Autistic Relative?
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206 Autism Research Topics & Paper Examples

Are you looking for research topics on autism spectrum disorder for your paper in psychology? You’re at the right place! StudyCorgi has prepared a list of topic ideas and questions you can use for your essay, thesis, debate, dissertation, and other writing assignments. Read on to discover the latest and most interesting autism topics to write about!

🏆 Best Research Topics on Autism

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Literature Review on Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review
Causes and Treatment of Autism in Children
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Experience of Work with Children with Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Behavior Analysis
A Skill Acquisition Plan for Children with Autism
Autism in the “A Boy Called Po” by Asher This paper aims to explore the movie, “A Boy Called Po”, whose plot is based on the struggles of a widower, David Wilson, in raising his autistic son, Patrick Wilson.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Communication The study aims to study the communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorder by assessing their ability to converse effectively within a dialogue.
Technical Quality of Autism Test (GARS-3) The work provides a review and analysis of articles devoted to the GARS-3 implication in the early diagnosis of autism among children.
Inclusive Education for Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder has become widely spread in the US today, resulting in developing the debates on the appropriateness of inclusive education for students with ASD.
Autism, Autism Spectrum Sisorder (ASD), and Theory of Mind This paper aims to explore some common features of ASD, its impact on children’s cognitive, social, and physical development, and its relation to the theory of mind.
Development and Management of Autism The paper examines the causes, development process, and symptoms of autism and describes the ways how the disorder can be manageable.
Interventions for Children With Autism Spectrum One of the symptoms associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder is communication difficulties. Children with ASD may be sluggish to learn to speak.
Autism: Child and Family Involvement Autism spectrum disorder affects many people aside from its primary target, emphasizing the significance of early identification, and behavioral programs.
Autism and Alzheimer’s Comparison This work is aimed at identifying differences and similarities in the mechanism of the formation of Alzheimer’s disease and autism and consideration of their progression.
Literature Review: How Can Token Economy Diminish Off-Task Behavior in Students with Autism? The students’ academic success largely depends on their behavior, which is determined not only by the environment but also by psychological states.
Autism Treatment: Natural vs. Medications The purpose of the paper is to prove that natural treatment must be the basis for addressing the autism issue.
“Autism: Insight From Inside” Movie Reflection The movie “Autism: Insight from Inside” by Robert Parish reflects the issue of ASD’s effect on people’s lives.
Social Science Perspectives on the Autism Spectrum This report will discuss autism, its characteristics, causes, diagnosis, and management. Autism refers to developmental disorder that impedes a person’s ability to communicate and relate to people.
Cell Phones May Cause Autism The main idea of the article is the harmful effect of the wireless radiation which ray cell phones in particular.
Autism and the Education System Teaching children with autism in the context of their growth and development is one of the urgent issues in the modern education system in the United States.
Biological Bases of Autism: General Analysis The purpose of this paper is to explain the biological bases of the disease while considering specific areas of the brain that are affected together with their associated symptoms.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Twins: Genetics Study Autism spectrum disorder is a behavioral condition caused by genetic and environmental factors. Twin studies have been used to explain the hereditary nature of this condition.
The Autism-Gender Relationship Analysis This paper examines the relationship between gender and autism, including the possible involvement of various genetic, environmental, and physiological factors.
Teaching Students With Autism Spectrum The bibliography analyzes educators’ current practices, approaches, tactics, and strategies for teaching students with autism.
Applied Behavior Analysis with Children with Autism This paper discusses the application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.
Importance of Learning More About Autism Autism awareness addresses stereotypes and misunderstandings, increases early intervention, and makes society more accepting of individuals with autism spectrum disorder.
Autism Among Kindergartners in Victoria, Australia This paper will postulate two teaching frameworks in an attempt to support previous legislation and policies formulated by different stakeholders.
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Dialogue Framework The research aims to assess the communication skills of children with autism spectrum disorder by assessing their ability to converse effectively within a dialogue framework.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Analysis Autism spectrum disorder is a collection of neurological conditions in which a person’s speech, motor motions, and social interaction are disrupted.
Functional Communication Training via Telehealth for Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder Randomized Controlled Trial was employed for the investigation to compare the therapy with Functional Communication Training.
Causes and Treatment of Autism in Children Autism spectrum disorder is broadly complicated, and with time and research, it becomes a more significant brain condition.
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Immunization Autism is a more frequently diagnosed ailment than was formerly acknowledged, and much is now being written in the mainstream media.
Autism: Diagnostics and Treatment Shedding light on the condition, its key symptoms and treatment options will help improve the quality of life in autistic people.
Evidence-Based Strategy in Autism The report discusses the various evidence-based practices that can be adopted in diagnosing Autism Spectrum Disorder among children.
Autism and Vaccination: The False Health Claim One of the most popular false health claims concerns the relationship between autism and vaccination, suggesting that the latter causes the former.
Accessibility For Students With Autism in Education in K-12 For most children and teenagers, K-12 education is the most valuable and influential part of their lives, providing them with many experiences.
Childhood Disorders: Autism Spectrum Disorders Autism spectrum disorders may be accompanied by genetic syndromes. Also, they can coexist with non-spectrum diagnoses, which include language disorders and learning disabilities.
Autism Complementary Treatmen: Diet and Relaxation The following paper proposes diet and relaxation as a form of complementary therapy to the main treatment of autism disorder.
Correlation Between Vaccines and Autism Before vaccination, large numbers of people with different backgrounds suffered from smallpox and other diseases.
Dietary and Relaxation-Based Treatment for Autism Exploration studies have been conducted to determine the value of casein/gluten free diets as an intercession to improve cognitive and social functioning of autism patients.
Complementary Alternative Therapy for Autism The report suggests diet and relaxation as the form of complementary therapy to the central treatment of autism disorder.
Social Skills for Preschoolers With Autism Autism Spectrum Disorder is a family of mental disorders that cause deficits in social awareness, communication skills, and stereotyped behaviors.
The Effectiveness of Peer-Mediated Intervention for Young Children with Autism Peer-mediated intervention is a prominent technique for developing social skills and fostering involvement in children suffering from autism.
Sources Credibility: The Case of Autism Attention to sources’ reliability is vital for any realm, including the healthcare system, especially – the evidence-based models.
The Link Between Epidurals and Autism Spectrum Disorder This study captures the uproar that followed after a recent study attributed autism spectrum disorder to labor epidural analgesia.
Autism Spectrum Disorder: Antecedent Manipulation Project L. is a 10-years-old male student, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. The student is to be observed, and his parents and educators are to be interviewed.
Autism Spectrum Disorder in Children and Adolescents Below 18 Years The problem that has been chosen for conducting nursing evidence-based practice is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in children and adolescents below 18 years.
Teaching Communication Skills for Elementary School Students With Autism Documentation by research has shown that non-handicapped youths can be of great assistance in teaching social skills for students with autism.
Inclusive Education for Children with Autism The study seeks to establish if some specialized programs can be employed to cater to children who are frequently diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.
Inclusion of Students With Autism in General Education Classrooms The article’s main purpose is to sensitize the need for new strategies that would harness the inclusion of students with ASD into general classrooms.
Behavior Intervention in Autism Spectrum Disorders The purpose of the article is to expound on the interfering behaviors in persons with autism spectrum disorders, formulate an approach for preventing them.
Autism and Other Neurological Disorders Autism and other neurological disorders are defined by characteristics of behavior and are commonly considered to be biological in origin and not caused by improper parenting.
Autism and Associated Healthcare Issues This paper attempts to understand Autism as a health care issue by studying deeply its causes, characteristics, conditions, treatment options, and who can live with it.
Contributing Factors of Anxiety in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition that affects the way a person communicates and socializes.
Autism as Developmental Medical Condition The paper tries to discuss the meaning of autism, the causes and the possible treatments that have been found to curb the severe symptoms experienced by the victims.
Autism in Toddler: Effects of Dietary Intervention Rigorous behavioral programs for developing positive behaviors, correcting certain sensory problems, will be the best alternative to control problems caused by autism.
“Assessing the Value of Token Reinforcement for Individuals With Autism” the Article by Fiske, et al. The article raises the problem of assisting the children with autism with their learning and interaction with a teacher in a classroom.
Autism Universal Screening: Response to Media Article The paper provides discussion of the article “Why There’s Disagreement over Screening Every Child for Autism?” published in The New York Times.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Analysis Three children aged between 9 and 11 years are regarded as the ones having ASD, as stated by the licensed psychologist.
Autism, Myths and Realities Autism belongs to developmental disabilities that are frequently characterized by brain-functioning complications.
Autist Students Identification: Distinctive Features of Autism In identifying autism, there is the triad of autism which consists of autistic aloneness; speech and language disorder, and obsessive desire for sameness.
Genetics and Autism Development Autism is associated with a person’s genetic makeup. This paper gives a detailed analysis of this condition and the role of genetics in its development.
Autism in Adults: Daily Challenges Siri Carpenter’s article “For Adults with Autism, a Lack of Support When They Need It Most” explores the way adult individuals with autism cope with the daily challenges.
Vaccines and Autism: Does the Controversy Persist? Scientists managed to find quite a few vaccines against various diseases. The connection between vaccines and autism was proposed recently.
Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders Depending on the situation, the representatives of the general public interact with autists when being at home, in the educational establishment, workplace, or other locations.
Pharma Controversy Presentation: Vaccination and Autism Parents often associate MMR vaccination with autism. No qualitative evidence for the MMR vaccination-autism link.
Vaccines and Autism Relationship and Debates The link between vaccination and autism is hotly debated in the media despite the fact that the alleged evidence is definitively disproven by the scientific community.
Diagnosing Adults with Autism There is no single theory which any researcher in the study of autism has found to be convincing in that it thoroughly explains the origin and behavioral attributes of autism.
Early Social Interaction: Children with Autism This paper analyzes an article addressing how the involvement of parents in the ESI programs affects the outcome of improved social and communication skills among children with autism disorders.
Pharma Controversy: Vaccines and Autism At the end of the 20th century, Andrew Wakefield conducted his research, revealing the connection between childhood vaccines and autism.
Autism Ethics: Accept or Cure? The paper considers the debate on whether autistic people should be accepted by the community as a diversity of the society or a cure should be found out and developed.
The Effects of Risperidone on Children with Autism The goal of this paper is to determine if using risperidone can affect cognitive performance in pre-adolescents and adolescents with autism.
Autism Syndrome Psychosocial Characteristics Autism spectrum disorders present symptoms that may be tricky for the parents to correctly diagnose the condition. The symptoms are sometimes mistaken for other disorders.
Autism Spectrum Disorders: Control and Prevention This paper aims at determining whether television watching by children below the age of two years can lead to the development of autism.
Teaching Communication Skills for Students with Autism Ehrough games and other forms of interaction with his/her peers, a child with autism disorders is able to develop in his/her areas of deficiency.
Concept and Cause of Autism: Reports on Autism A recent survey on people’s attitude toward Autism reveals that a significant percentage of parents still believe that the disease is caused by vaccines taken during childhood.
Childhood Disorders: Autism Spectrum Disorders In case of autism spectrum disorders the presence of other childhood disorders in a patient often complicates the traditional diagnostic procedure.
Education for Students with Autism in Saudi Arabia Students with autism in Saudi Arabia are secluded from the mainstream learning institutions because teachers lack the knowledge and awareness related to the condition.
Effects of Music Therapy for Adolescents with Autism Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional.
Autism and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
How Autism Affects Regular Brain Functions as Well as Socialization Skills
Autism and Asperger Syndrome: Similarities and Differences
How Autism Affects the Person With It and Those Around Them
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Comorbidities
Music Therapy and Drug Therapy for Children With Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attitudes About Inclusion Teaching
Psychological and Social Factors in Informed Consent for Patients With Autism
Autism and Environmental Determinants of Behavior
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Narcolepsy: A Possible Connection That Deserves to Be Investigated
Augmentative and Alternative Communication: For Students With Autism
Dietary Patterns Impact Temporal Dynamics of Fecal Microbiota Composition in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism: Characteristics, Diagnosis, and Understanding
Diagnose Autism Simply With ‘iPad’ Games
Atypical Resource Allocation May Contribute to Many Aspects of Autism
Early Behavioral Treatments for Children With Autism
Children With Autism May Be Especially Susceptible to Bullying
Autism and the Physiological Effects on the Brain
Common Chromosomal Abnormalities Associated With Autism
Parent and School Autism Wars: A Civil Rights Struggle
Genetics Studies Indicate That Neural Induction and Early Neuronal Maturation Are Disturbed in Autism
Aberrant Cerebellar Cerebral Functional Connectivity in Children and Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Dynamical Methods for Evaluating the Time-Dependent Unfolding of Social Coordination in Children With Autism
Causal Relationship Between Autism & Vaccine
China Multi-Center Preschool Autism Project: Design and Methodologies to Identify Clinical Symptom Features and Biomarkers of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Effective Education Strategies
How People With Autism Experience the World
Chromatin Regulators, Phenotypic Robustness, and Autism Risk
Autism: How Developmental Psychology Can Inform Practice
Music Therapy Use for Autism Spectrum Disorder
Individuals With Autism and the Difficulties to Understand Different Emotions
Asperger’s Syndrome: “The Higher Functioning Form of Autism
Self Management, Autism, and Skills of Social Interaction Questions
Are There Cultural Differences in Parental Interest in Early Diagnosis and Genetic Risk Assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Improving Interactive Play for Students With Autism
Evidence for Brainstem Contributions to Autism Spectrum Disorders
Early Childhood Education for Children With Autism: How Teacher and Classroom Characteristics Influence Student Learning
Communication Barriers That Exist With Autism
Abnormal Functional Connectivity During Visuospatial Processing Is Associated With the Disrupted Organization of White Matter in Autism
Genetically Modified Foods Cause Autism
Elevated Plasma Reelin Levels in Children With Autism
Researchers Are Still Unsure of the Origin and Causes of Autism
Genetic Causes and Modifiers of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Modern Computer Technologies for Autism
Dismantling the Presumptions About Autism in the Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida
How Autism Spectrum Disorder Affects Students Reading
Acoustic Hyper-Reactivity and Negatively Skewed Locomotor Activity in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Living With an Autism Spectrum Disorder in Hanoi, Vietnam
How the Media Perpetuated the Autism-Vaccine Scare
Living With the Form of Autism Called Asperger’s Syndrome
Autism and Its Treatment: Applied Behavior Analysis and the Developmental, Individual-Difference, Relationship-Based Model
Gluten and Casein Diet for Children With Autism
Diagnosis, Symptoms, Theories, and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children in the United States
Affective and Cognitive Empathy in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Fluoxetine but Not Risperidone Increases Sociability in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism
Cognitive-Behavioral Approach for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Interpersonal
Lost for Emotion Words: A Study on Autism Spectrum
Autism Prevalence, Research, and the Historical Viewpoint
Families and Therapeutic Goals Regarding Autism
Increased Awareness Benefits Autism Spectrum Disorder
Play-Based Therapy for Children With Autism
Arousal and Attention Re-Orienting in Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence From Auditory Event-Related Potentials
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Its Perioperative Management
Financial Issues Associated With Having a Child With Autism
Autism Explain the Importance of a Person-Centered Approach
Genetics and the Possible Causation of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Precentral Gyrus Functional Connectivity Signatures of Autism
Autism Among Preschool Children and the Interventions to Help Them
Genetic Syndromes, Maternal Diseases and Antenatal Factors Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorders
Does Autism Really Affect People’s Daily Lives?
Which Areas of the Brain Are Impacted in Autism and or ADHD?
Does Autism Spectrum Disorder Affect the Brain Development of a Person?
How Is the Brain Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder?
What Is the Mental Age of Someone With Autism?
Can Brain Scans Identify Autism?
How Does Autism Affect a Child Intellectual Development?
When Does the Autistic Brain Stop Developing?
How Is an Autistic Brain Different From a Normal Brain?
Can a Child With Autism Go to Normal School?
What Are the Negative Effects of Autism?
How Does Autism Affect the Brain and Nervous System?
Is High Functioning Autism Considered a Disability?
What Are the Main Difficulties of Students With Autism?
How Does an Autistic Child Learn Best?
What Should You Avoid if Your Child Has Autism?
How Does Autism Affect Regular Brain Functions and Socialization Skills?
What Is the Hardest Part of Life for a Child With Autism?
Can Autism Go Away Without Treatment?
What Does a Psychologist Do for Autism?
Which Is the Best Therapy for Autism Adults?
How Do Doctors Test for Autism?
Does Autism Come From the Mother or Father?
Can a Child With Autism Live a Normal Life?
What Jobs Are Good for High-Functioning Autism?
How does genetics contribute to autism development?
What are the gender differences in autism prevalence and symptoms?
What is the role of environmental factors in autism development?
What social and emotional challenges do people with autism face?
How can assistive technology enhance communication for people with autism?
How do cultural beliefs affect autistic children’s parents’ experiences?
What factors contribute to the burnout of caregivers of people with autism?
How does nutrition affect autism symptoms?
What are the long-term psychological effects of growing up with an autistic sibling?
How does social media foster social connections for people with autism?
Understanding autism: a condition overview and diagnostic criteria.
Brain structure and function in autism.
Strategies for enhancing verbal and non-verbal communication skills in people with autism.
ABA therapy for autism: principles, applications, and controversies.
Assistive technologies in autism: applications and latest developments.
Autism-friendly classroom practices.
Strategies for reducing sensory overload in people with autism.
Ways to support autistic adolescents’ transition to adulthood.
Creating opportunities for autistic people’s participation in sports.
Sleep problems in autism: causes, effects, and interventions.
Is there a link between vaccination and autism?
ABA therapy in autism treatment: is it effective or harmful?
Inclusive vs. special education for autistic children.
Alternative and complementary treatments for autism: are they safe?
Should autism research receive more funding?
Medications in autism: are they overprescribed or necessary?
Chelation therapy for autism treatment: is it worth the risk?
Do parents of autistic children receive enough support?
Are individuals with autism capable of providing informed consent in healthcare?
Should teachers be allowed to restrain and seclude misbehaving students with autism?

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StudyCorgi . "206 Autism Research Topics & Paper Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/autism-essay-topics/.

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These essay examples and topics on Autism were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 5, 2024 .

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A Guide to Identifying and Understanding Scientific Research About Autism

Whether you are an individual with autism or a parent to a loved one with an autism spectrum disorder, you may want to stay informed about scientific research related to ASD. You can find information on the internet and other media channels, but how accurate is that information? Knowing how to understand scientific research studies can help you find reliable and relevant information.

This article is a tool to help you assess information about autism based on scientific principles. As you put these recommendations into practice, remember to use critical thinking and common sense when assessing any claim about autism. Combining an understanding of scientific research studies with your own powers of reasoning can help you:

Make evidence-based decisions
Understand recommendations from your care team and discuss them knowledgeably
Minimize overwhelm
Advocate for yourself or your family member with autism.

Understanding Scientific Research About Autism

Good autism research – like all medical research – meets three criteria: It is based on scientific principles and procedures, it has been peer-reviewed, and the study is able to be replicated. We’ll explore each of these criteria in more detail below.

Special thanks to Anissa Ryland and the staff of The Johnson Center for Child Health and Development for helping to develop some of the guidelines and information included in this article.

What is a peer-reviewed study?

Peer-review is a process that academic journals use to understand if the studies they publish are based on good research. Before including a study in their publication, the journal sends the research out to other experts in the field.

Experts who were not involved in the original study check that the study design applies scientific principles and procedures. They also use their own knowledge of the subject to determine whether the results and conclusions make sense based on available data. The editor of the journal takes their recommendations into account when deciding whether to publish the study.

Some scientific journals have been in print longer than others or are more respected in their field. Readers can use a metric called an impact factor to decide if the journal that printed a particular study is a reliable source of information. The Impact factor is the total number of times articles from that journal were cited, divided by the total number of citable articles in that journal during that span of time.

The impact factors of various journals are calculated and printed yearly in Journal Citation Reports . You can find the current impact factor of most journals with a quick web search. Keep in mind that a journal must exist for at least two years before its impact factor can be calculated.

Where to find research

Many groups, organizations, and individuals write about autism. Whenever you come across a new treatment or new information about autism, you can check the validity by seeking out original sources.

Places to find original sources:

Google Scholar
University websites
Journal websites

Some of these research aggregation services are free, others cost money. For paid services, check with your local library to see if they can connect you with a free account. You can also ask your clinician to provide you with research related to specific treatments, comorbidities, and symptoms

Types of studies

You may come across several different types of studies as you read and learn about autism. Each study type can be used to investigate topics related to autism, but some have a wider application than others. Get to know the different study types so you can think critically about how the research applies to you or your child with autism.

Animal and Cell Studies – Observe and test animals or cell cultures. These types of studies provide initial insight, but the application to humans may not be clear.
Case Reports – A written record on a single subject. Each case study represents an individual experience. This can be a starting point for research. It does not prove that what worked for one individual will work for others.
Case Series – A group of case reports that track multiple subjects. Remember that correlation is not causation. That means that two things can happen around the same time, but that doesn’t prove one caused the other.
Case-Control Studies – Look at the experiences of two groups of subjects, one group with autism and one without. The investigation is retrospective, meaning it looks at experiences in the past and attempts to draw conclusions. Causation is hard to prove with this type of study.
Cohort Studies – Track two groups, ex. One group of people with autism and one group without or one group that receives treatment and one that does not. It notes differences in outcomes for the two groups.
Randomized Controlled Trials – Randomly assigns subjects to either a test group or a control group. The test group receives the treatment while the control group receives a placebo. This type of study can be blind (study subjects don’t know which group they’re in) or double-blind (experimenters also don’t know which group the subjects are in).
Systematic Review – Compares and contrasts the results of several randomized controlled trials and draws conclusions based on the quality of the study and on their results.

Assessing information about autism and autism treatments

The following questions will help you use what you’ve learned to assess information about autism and autism treatments. Remember that critical thinking skills are your most valuable tools in assessing any claim about autism spectrum disorder.

What is the source of this information? Blog posts, books, pamphlets, social media posts, websites, news stories, or other non-journal sources can bring information to your attention, but it’s up to you to check their sources. Is the information based on studies and research or is it the opinion of the author?

Who performed this research? What people, groups, universities, or businesses were involved in this study? Do they have a track record of producing reliable autism research?

Who funded this research? Does the researcher or institution have any conflicts of interest that I should be aware of? What businesses, funding sources, products, or services, might benefit from the results of this study?

Has the research been peer-reviewed? Does it appear in a peer-reviewed journal? What is the impact factor of that journal?

Has it been replicated? Have other scientists used the same method to achieve the same results? If not, why not? Be cautious about accepting any claim that has not been tested by other researchers or studies.

What other works are cited in the study? Are the researchers basing their work on good science? Have they cited earlier studies published in peer-reviewed journals?

Reading and assessing biomedical research studies takes practice. Navigating autism research can be overwhelming at first, but critical thinking and common sense, along with the knowledge you’ve gained in this article, can help you assess information. Stop and think whenever you read a new statement about autism treatments, possible causes, or potential outcomes. Before acting on any new information go to the source to check the validity of the claim.

For more on understanding autism research, watch this webinar from The Johnson Center.

Scientific Research Glossary

Autism and Sleep – Research Updates

autismAdmin 2023-09-27T11:30:41-05:00 April 17th, 2024 | Autism Spectrum Disorders , Sleep Issues , Ways to Help , Webinar |

1 p.m. Eastern time (US), Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Learn research updates on co-occurring sleep disturbances and autism. The speaker: Dara S. Manoach, PhD, Paul B. and Sandra

Animal study reveals clues that developmental vitamin D deficiency may be associated with gut alterations in autism

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Vitamin D deficiency is strongly implicated as a risk factor for autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and researchers in Australia report evidence that vitamin D deficiency during early development may increase the

New multi-national study adds to evidence linking alterations of the gut microbiome to autism

Melanie Glock 2023-08-29T16:27:41-05:00 August 29th, 2023 | News |

Strong new evidence linking alterations of the gut microbiome to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comes from a new multi-national study by James Morton and colleagues. In the study, researchers in North

Editorial: Revisiting Two Lesser-Known Teaching Strategies to Enhance Speech Production in Autism

Melanie Glock 2023-12-05T13:20:21-05:00 August 29th, 2023 | News |

In this editorial, I would like to shed light on two methods for improving the speech production of individuals on the autism spectrum, discuss potential neurological factors that may underlie their effectiveness,

Sleep problems in infancy associated with ASD, autism traits, and social attention alterations

Melanie Glock 2023-07-20T18:49:05-05:00 July 20th, 2023 | News |

A new study from the United Kingdom indicates that sleep problems in infancy may help to predict later social skills deficits, autism traits, and autism diagnoses in children. Jannath Begum-Ali and

Constipation in infancy associated with higher likelihood of autism diagnosis

Melanie Glock 2023-06-26T16:29:40-05:00 June 26th, 2023 | News |

More evidence linking autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to gastrointestinal problems comes from a study by researchers in Taiwan and the United States, who report that ASD occurs at an elevated rate

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144 comprehensive autism research paper topics that will help you.

July 28, 2021

Do you need autism research paper topics that will impress your educator to award you high grades? If yes, this article lists the best 140-plus ideas to consider for your papers and essays.

Simple Autism Topics for Research Paper

Perhaps, you want to write a paper about an easy topic. In that case, select the idea to work with from this category. Any of these topics can be a brilliant idea for an autism paper. Nevertheless, take your time to investigate it extensively, gather, and analyze data to develop a winning piece.

Investigating the autism spectrum disorder’s prevalence
Autism Diagnostic interview
What are the primary causes of autism?
Reasons for the increasing autism cases in children
Effective learning and teaching methods for autistic children
Mainstream education and autism
Are there advantages of being autistic?
What are the disadvantages of being autistic?
Why are some individuals autistic while others are not
Explain why some individuals have a good recall or memory skills
What should people know about autism?
Who are the top five most known autistic individuals in human history?
How healthcare workers assist autistic persons in their daily lives
What are humans yet to discover about autism?
Discuss autism stories that people have shared on social media
Describe the employment opportunities and limitations for autistic individuals
Describe a treatment that can reduce autistic individuals’ disadvantages
What is the primary cause of autism?
What role does music play in the life of an autistic person?
Explain autism diagnosis during the early stages
Describe the educational programs for autistic persons
What’s the average overview of an autistic person?
Explain ways of improving autistic people’s interactions
Explain an autistic individual’s behavior towards his family members?
How the chemical brain of an autistic person differs from that of a non-autistic individual
What are the most prominent research breakthroughs in autism?
Why autistic persons struggle to socialize with others
What normal individuals should learn from the brains of autistic persons
Describe the characteristics of autistic persons
Tips for training autistic persons when providing care
Things caregivers should know about autism to do an excellent job
How family members should behave towards autistic individuals

Autism Biology Topics Research Paper Ideas

Students can also write autism biology papers and score top grades. If interested in autism biology, here is a list of topics to consider for your research paper. Any of these topics can be the basis of a debate because people have varying views towards them. You need sufficient and reliable information to support your argument.

Is there sufficient evidence proving that environmental triggers are responsible for the rising autism cases?
Why is western society reporting higher autism prevalence?
Do literature and art help in raising awareness about autism?
Reviewing films whose basis is an autism spectrum disorder
How the media portrays autism and its effects
Prominent public figures that lived with autism for years
The impact of maternal age on autism
Asperger’s syndrome and autism- An explorative study
Analyzing the genome’s dark regions and their effect on autism mutation
Gene expression control and its impact on autism mutation
The connection between genetic variants and autism
Obesity and autism- Is there a correlation?
How a subtle genetic modification can affect an autistic person
Autism and fragile x syndrome
How brain homes affect autism
Autism and vasopressin- What’s the link?
Brain signature similarities with autism
Investigating the unusual sensory response in an autistic person
The effects of the cerebellum on an autistic person’s social behavior
Anybody that loves biology will be interested in reading a paper on any of these ideas. However, make sure that your essay is on-point.
Thought-Provoking Autism Controversial Issues to Write About
Perhaps, you want to research and write about a thought-provoking topic about autism. In that case, consider one of these issues.
Is autism a disorder or a difference?
Timeline and history of autism
Why are autism rates increasing dramatically?
Things that scientists have disproven about autism causes
Questionable and risky autism treatments
The best autism treatments
Should autistic children have a unique educational setting?
Which are the best educational options for autistic children?
Autistic children should have a unique home
Autism and vaccinations- Is there any relations?
Ways to raise autism awareness in society
Changing the autistic children’s future through early interventions
How educators can help children with autism
Ways to help autistic children with uncooperative parents
Can occupational therapy help autistic children?
DSM-V and autism
A comparison of autistic children’s and normal kids’ educational opportunities
Ways health officials can convince their clients that vaccines don’t cause autism
Should schools vaccinate children that haven’t received their shots because parents believe they cause autism?

Research Paper Topics Dealing with Autism and Education

Experts recommend teaching people and caregivers about autistic persons. Through training, educators, parents, and other people can know how to treat autistic persons. Here are good research paper topics on autism and education. These topics relate expert advice with parenting and the daily life of autistic individuals. But like the other ideas, they need thorough research to come up with impressive papers.

Ways to solve autistic children’s daily problems
Why is autism research necessary?
Differences in education among autistic kids and normal children
Different autism types
Understanding the struggles of students suffering from autism
What are the possible autism causes?
Managing parenting challenges when you have an autistic child
Ways to improve autistic children’s communication skills
How to enhance autistic kids’ coping skills
Addressing negative behaviors among autistic children
Increasing autistic children’s play skills
Ways to diagnose autism early in children
Ways to increase autistic children’s independence
Effects of autism in a single child on family members
Improving self-help among autistic children
How autism affects different developmental realms
Learning in autistic kids
Resources available for autistic people
Effects of autism on the learning process
Why do parents need training about autism?

Autism Research Analysis Paper Topics

Perhaps, you want to autism research topics you can analyze extensively in your paper or essay. If so, consider these ideas for your project. You can analyze any of these research topics on autism in your paper with proper references to impress the educator and earn the top grade in your class.

Qualities of an effective autism treatment plan
Autism signs that every parent should know
Reviewing autism in various regions
Analyzing the probability of medical treatment causing autism
Analysis of the effects of genetics on autism
Investigating the impact of an autistic person on a standard individual
Analysis of autism history
Ways adult patients can manage autism
Analyzing the employment opportunities for autistic people
Exploring parental education benefits in managing autism in children
Analyzing the variations in social implications depending on autistic spectrum disorder and gender
Analysis of the support autistic people need at the workplace
Examining the socio-cultural effects of autism on understanding and behavior
Do autistic children need special schools?- A detailed analysis
Investigating the contextual drives affecting autism understanding in society
Analyzing the peer group role in autism
Investigating the increasing autism prevalence in western society
Post-traumatic stress disorder- Analyzing its impact on parents with autistic kids
Exploring the cross-cultural experiences of autistic persons
Analyzing the role technology can play in improving autistic people’s social skills

Autism Research Questions

One of the best ways to develop good research topics is by asking questions about the subject you find interesting. For instance, you can brainstorm autism thesis topics by asking questions about this illness. Here are some of the queries you can ask about autism, which can form the basis of your paper.

Which is the most accepted theory about autism spectrum disorder’s pathophysiology?
How can caregivers improve service delivery when dealing with autistic persons?
How can ordinary people understand sensory processing among autistic persons?
How can companies encourage ordinary people to support autistic employees?
How can employers implement person-centered intervention to support autistic employees?
How can companies maximize the performance and potential of autistic people at the workplace?
How can hospitals improve autism diagnostic procedures?
How can hospitals ensure the appropriate diagnosis of autistic adults?
How can family members and parents provide quality care for autistic kids?
How can ordinary people support families and parents with autistic kids?
What support is ideal for autistic children?
Which environments are suitable for helping autistic persons achieve quality education and life skills?
How can society help autistic persons get the most from life?
Which interventions can enhance mental health in autistic persons?
How can caregiver reduce mental health issues among autistic persons?
How can caregivers adapt mental health interventions for autistic individuals?
Which interventions work in developing language skills in autistic persons?
How can society support social care for autistic adults?
Which intervention work in reducing anxiety among autistic people?
Is autism treatable?
Who suffers more, an autistic child or their family?
What facts do most people not know about autism?
Which brain part does autism damage?
Does autism escalate with age?
Is autism the same as brain damage?
How can you tell that your kid is not autistic?
Can a person inherit autism?
Does an autistic person have a higher risk of having an autistic child?
Is autism a disability?
How does level I differ from level II autism?
Which questions does the doctor ask during an autism assessment?

Students have many autism spectrum disorder research topics and questions to consider as titles for their papers. However, learners should pick exciting topics to develop outstanding pieces. If you are unable to select a topic and write an essay, seek professional writing help online. Expert writers can help you with topic selection or even write a high-quality, custom paper for you.

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Autism Research Activities and Advances

NICHD's autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research portfolio is spread throughout the Institute and includes extramural components that support research on ASD and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) . NICHD also conducts some autism-related research projects through its intramural program.

In addition, several extramural and intramural entities within NICHD sponsor or conduct research that is not autism-focused but that can inform our understanding of the developmental and molecular processes involved in autism pathophysiology. Some of these efforts are described below.

Institute Activities and Advances

Recent findings.

A longitudinal study of parent-reported sensory responsiveness in toddlers at-risk for autism (PMID: 30350375 )
Potential for digital behavioral measurement tools to transform the detection and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (PMID: 30715131 )
Restricted and repetitive behavior and brain functional connectivity in infants at risk for developing autism spectrum disorder (PMID: 30446435 )
Language delay aggregates in toddler siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (PMID: 30348077 )
Automatic emotion and attention analysis of young children at home: a ResearchKit autism feasibility study
Parent support of preschool peer relationships in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (PMID: 28634707 )
Walking, gross motor development, and brain functional connectivity in infants and toddlers (PMID: 29186388 )

As one of the participants in the government-wide Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) , NICHD's support for autism research is structured around the seven question areas of IACC's strategic plan for autism research :

Question 1: When Should I Be Concerned?
Question 2: How Can I Understand What Is Happening?
Question 3: What Caused This to Happen and Can It Be Prevented?
Question 4: Which Treatments and Interventions Will Help?
Question 5: Where Can I Turn for Services?
Question 6: What Does the Future Hold, Particularly for Adults?
Question 7: What Other Infrastructure and Surveillance Needs Must Be Met?

NICHD supports and conducts research in all seven areas, with particular support for research relevant to questions 1 and 2.

Much of NICHD's autism research is conducted through the trans-NIH Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) Program . The ACE project, established in 2007, was a consolidation of two previous research efforts—the NICHD-led Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism and the Studies to Advance Autism Research and Treatment . ACE was intended to better coordinate autism research across the NIH.

IACC Question 1: Diagnosis of ASD

NICHD-supported research related to IACC Question 1 aims to develop and improve screening and diagnostic tools for ASD. The Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch (IDDB) supports extramural research exploring ways to validate and improve screening and diagnosis tools for ASD, such as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT), an effective screening tool for children aged 16 months to 2½ years. The Branch also supports the development of new screening tools, especially those for children younger than age 24 months, and the development of instruments for assessing symptoms and daily function of people with ASD.

The IDDB also supports studies that may inform the development of new screening tools in the future. IDDB-funded research tracks the anatomical, functional, emotional, communicative, and behavioral characteristics of infants at high risk for ASD over time in order to develop and improve the long-term accuracy of diagnostic and prognostic tools for ASD. The Branch also supports systematic efforts to identify genetic variants associated with autism, with the eventual goal of developing a new early diagnosis and classification system. IDDB-supported research studies also address the development of the linguistic and sensory symptoms of ASD throughout childhood, which may also inform screening tools.

IDDB-supported findings: Researchers worked with health care providers to screen more than 15,000 low-risk toddlers using an updated version of MCHAT, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers—Revised, with Follow-Up (M-CHAT–R/F) and found it to be more accurate than earlier versions at identifying children who could benefit from further evaluation . ( PMID: 24366990 )

The IDDB's research support is complemented by support from the Child Development and Behavior Branch (CDBB) for research on the processes of normal development. Data on the development of joint attention, social orientation, and emotional function and communications provide important benchmarks for understanding how early deficits in these skills develop in ASD.

NICHD's intramural scientists also conduct research relevant to this IACC question. Through its Epidemiology Branch , within the Division of Intramural Population Health Research (DIPHR) , the Institute is active in the assessment of the M-CHAT for ASD and other developmental screening algorithms. The DIPHR has also conducted research on the patterns of growth, physical development, and hormone levels throughout childhood in autism.

IACC Question 2: Biology of ASD

Several extramural branches of NICHD support research on disorders of neurologic and behavioral development, such as autism, by characterizing the developmental processes, cognitive processes, sensory and motor systems, and molecular and neural mechanisms that are relevant in the biology of the condition and its symptoms.

For instance, the IDDB supports research on the biology of ASD, including studies of the developmental processes underlying ASD biology throughout childhood. This research aims to characterize the cognitive and sensory/motor deficits in ASD, such as difficulties in recognizing emotion in faces and speech and the dysfunction in perceiving time or the differences between sounds. The Branch also supports research on the molecular and neurological underpinnings of ASD in humans as well as in model organisms. Funded research also delineates the function of genes and risk for ASD in brain development and function and maps the altered biochemical pathways and neural networks in brains of people with ASD to determine how these biological characteristics are correlated with behaviors or symptoms.

The IDDB is also interested in research on the biological processes that ASD has in common between ASD with comorbid or causative genetic conditions, such as Fragile X syndrome , t syndrome , Angelman syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome . The Branch also funds research to find or characterize subtypes of autism, by identifying new genes related to ASD risk and correlating known risk genes with brain structure and function and symptoms.

In addition, the CDBB's Developmental Cognitive Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Psychobiology Program funds studies to identify and characterize the pathways involved in brain development and behavior, including those in the sensory, motor, linguistic, cognitive, and social behavioral domains, all of which are disrupted in ASD. The Branch's studies of typically developing children serve as an important benchmark for understanding the differences found in children with ASD.

The /about/org/der/branches/dbcab also supports research on normal and abnormal development relating to the causes and prevention of congenital and genetic defects, as well as research training in relevant academic and medical areas, with an emphasis on the biochemical, genetic, and cellular mechanisms of early development that can be disrupted in disorders like ASD.

The Section on Cellular and Synaptic Physiology , within the Division of Intramural Research (DIR) Neurosciences Affinity Group , focuses on the development and regulation of synapses in the cortex and hippocampus. Networks in these areas are disrupted in ASD and other brain disorders.

IACC Question 3: Causes and Preventions of ASD

The IDDB is a major supporter of human and animal studies on the causes of ASD, including investigation of the processes and pathways associated with ASD, autism symptoms, common co-morbidities, and protective factors for ASD. One large area of IDDB support is genetics and epigenetics. The Branch funds studies of the identification, expression, regulation, and interactions of gene variants linked to ASD and autism-related behaviors and symptoms. The IDDB also supports research on potential environmental risk factors and biomarkers for ASD, including gene-environment interactions.

In addition, two laboratories within the DIR conduct research relevant to the biology of ASD:

The Section on Molecular y conducts research on a potential new endophenotype of ASD related to hypocholesterolemia.
The Section on Clinical Genomics uses a cell-culture model to study neuronal networks in autism. Its research also examines the expression of non-coding RNA in the brain in autism.

IACC Question 4: Interventions for ASD

The IDDB supports research on the development and evaluation of therapies and treatments for ASD, ASD symptoms, and related disorders, such as Fragile X syndrome , as well as the long-term effects of these interventions. Potential treatment targets include repetitive behavior, joint attention, social skills, emotional sharing, symbolic understanding, language and communication, irritability and anxiety, and insistence on sameness. Researchers working in human subjects and animal models consider a range of treatment types, from behavioral and educational interventions to pharmaceutical treatments, including comprehensive treatments that combine behavior and medication.

IDDB-supported findings: A recent ACE network study found that directing the attention of preschool-aged children with ASD increased the children's vocabularies and language skills by the time they were age 8, compared to a control. In the intervention, adults actively engaged the children's attention by pointing to toys and using other gestures.

IACC Question 5: Services for People with ASD

As a research agency, NICHD focuses its efforts on evaluating services—how they are delivered or how effective they are, for example—rather than on providing services. For instance, the IDDB supports a few studies of methods to develop or improve services for people with ASD, including services related to teaching life skills and ensuring physical safety of people with ASD.

IACC Question 6: Health Over the Lifespan with ASD

Most NICHD research addresses the early biological origins of ASD, meaning that efforts related to this question are handled by other agencies. However, through the IDDB, NICHD supports one study related to this question, focused on teaching social skills to adolescents with high-functioning ASD.

IACC Question 7: Infrastructure for ASD Research

Much of the Institute's work within this area is related to support of the ACE program. In 2012, NIH awarded $100 million to continue support of the program. The Institute also supports other projects related to ASD research infrastructure, including the National Database for Autism Research, Brain and Tissue Bank, and NeuroBioBank resources that are described in the Other Activities and Advances section below.

Other Activities and Advances

To achieve its goals for autism research, NICHD supports a variety of other activities related to autism. Some of these activities are managed through the components listed above; others are part of NIH-wide or collaborative efforts in which NICHD participates. Some of these are listed below:

The Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) Program is the trans-NIH research effort on ASD.
The Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEAs)/Studies to Advance Autism Research & Treatment (STAART) Centers conducted and supported studies on the causes, diagnosis, prevention, detection, and treatment of ASD. These Networks were consolidated in 2007 into the ACE Program to enable pooling of resources and maximum coordination and efficiency for autism research across the NIH.
NICHD's Eunice Kennedy Shriver Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers are located at 15 universities and children's hospitals throughout the country and aim to advance understanding of a variety of conditions and topics related to IDDs.
The Fragile X Syndrome Research Center Program , funded by the IDDB, supports research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of Fragile X syndrome and related conditions.
The government-wide Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) includes representatives from NICHD.
The National Database for Autism Research includes relevant data at all levels of biological and behavioral organization (i.e., molecules, genes, neural tissues, social and environmental interactions) and for all data types (e.g., text, numeric, image, time series).
The NIH NeuroBio Bank is a network of brain and tissue banks in the United States that collect, examine, and store tissues; the banks also make the tissues available to scientists for research on brain disorders.

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The Importance of Lived Experience Perspectives – Insights From the IACC

Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., and Susan Daniels, Ph.D., HHS National Autism Coordinator and Director of the NIMH Office of National Autism Coordination

April 4, 2024

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During National Autism Acceptance Month, NIMH and the NIMH Office of National Autism Coordination celebrate the important contributions of autistic people in our families and our society, and we reaffirm our support for their acceptance, inclusion, and full participation in all aspects of community life. This April, we would like to highlight NIMH’s unique role in federal autism coordination efforts and reflect on how the lived experiences of autistic people and their families have shaped federal autism research, services, and policy.

Photo of Dr. Gordon and Dr. Daniels at the January 2024 IACC meeting

We have the privilege of serving as the Chair and Executive Secretary of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) . The IACC is a federal advisory committee established by Congress and currently authorized under the Autism CARES Act of 2019. The committee includes federal officials from agencies that support autism research and vital services for people with disabilities, as well as public members, including autistic adults, family members, advocates, researchers, and service providers from diverse communities around the country.

The IACC serves as a forum for community engagement and provides an important point of convergence and collaboration. Federal agency members and public members work together to develop and provide advice that informs the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, federal agencies, Congress, and the President. This advice guides the activities of federal agencies and helps ensure that federal programs are responsive to the needs of the autism community.

Reflecting community needs

In working with the IACC, we have seen how community voices, reflecting the lived experiences of autistic people and their families, can contribute to important advances in federal autism activities. Public input on the co-occurring mental and physical health conditions often experienced by autistic individuals is one such example. These conditions can include seizure disorders, gastrointestinal problems, and disruptions in sleep. They can also include mental disorders and mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), self-injury, and suicidal ideation. Many autistic individuals also have learning disabilities or additional developmental conditions and disabilities.

For many people with autism, co-occurring conditions can contribute to lost opportunities and decreased productivity, poor health outcomes, and, in some cases, premature death. Discussions initiated by public members of the IACC, along with public comments received at IACC meetings and at an IACC-sponsored town hall , helped to shape the research objectives on co-occurring conditions in the inaugural 2009 IACC Strategic Plan .

The topic of co-occurring conditions remains an IACC priority today. The 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan includes comprehensive recommendations for research investigating the biology underlying co-occurring conditions and autism, as well as interventions and services to address these conditions across the lifespan. Just last year, the IACC issued a Request for Information seeking additional community input on the topic and received responses from more than 1,200 people. Themes and priorities from these responses will be included in the forthcoming IACC Strategic Plan Update , which will focus on the impact of co-occurring conditions on the physical and mental health of people on the autism spectrum. The update aims to further identify opportunities for research and services to improve well-being for autistic people.

Representing diverse experiences

Hearing from people with lived experience has shed light on additional issues important to the autism community, including wandering and elopement, the needs of transition-age youth and adults, and autism in girls and women. Autistic people and family members have also emphasized the breadth of experiences and challenges across the spectrum of ability and disability and the need for a range of personalized tools, interventions, services, and supports rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Based on input from autistic people and families from diverse and underserved communities, the IACC has prioritized the need to increase equity and reduce disparities experienced by autistic individuals across race, ethnicity, culture, sex and gender, socioeconomic status, and geographic location, including rural and urban communities. This also includes the need for more researchers and service providers who come from diverse communities and have lived experience with autism and disability.

The 2021-2023 IACC Strategic Plan includes two cross-cutting recommendations – one on equity and disparities and one on sex and gender – to intensify focus on addressing gaps in these areas and increase equity for all autistic people. The committee also continues to support priorities to ensure that autism research and services meet the needs of individuals across the whole spectrum, including those with the highest support needs, and across the full lifespan into older adulthood. Importantly, the strategic plan emphasizes inclusion and acceptance of all autistic people and reducing barriers to their participation in every aspect of community life.

Prioritizing collaboration and inclusion

In all of this work, consideration of diverse viewpoints and experiences from across the autism community and a spirit of cooperation, collaboration, and civility have been crucial. As the autism landscape continues to evolve, collaboration between federal agencies and community members will remain a cornerstone of progress in improving the health and well-being of autistic people and their families.

Community engagement plays an important role across the broad portfolio of federal research, services, and policy activities related to disabilities, mental health, and physical health. Federal agencies gather public input through federal advisory committees; solicit public comments through formal requests for information; and engage individuals with lived experience in grant review panels, community engagement programs, and community-based participatory research. Lived experience perspectives strengthen federal programs and help ensure federal research and services address the issues most important to those whom they serve.

During Autism Acceptance Month, let us honor the contributions of autistic individuals and others with lived experience; strive to ensure that their voices, perspectives, and priorities are heard and represented in federal activities for research, services, and policy; and work toward a more inclusive society for all.

NHS cannot meet 'avalanche' of demand for autism and ADHD services, warns thinktank

An "extraordinary" rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments in England has overtaken the NHS's capacity to meet it, warns the Nuffield Trust, prompting calls for a "radical rethink".

Friday 5 April 2024 10:07, UK

The NHS is struggling to cope with an "extraordinary, unpredicted and unprecedented" rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments in England, a health thinktank has warned.

Around 172,040 people were on waiting lists as of December 2023 - up from 117,020 a year earlier and more than five times the 32,220 recorded in December 2019.

The figures published by NHS Digital show the number of patients waiting for an autism assessment is at its highest level since data started to be recorded in April 2019.

It has prompted calls for a "radical rethink" of how autism and ADHD are assessed and treated.

Thea Stein, chief executive of the Nuffield Trust, said: "The extraordinary, unpredicted and unprecedented rise in demand for autism assessments and ADHD treatments have completely overtaken the NHS's capacity to meet them.

"It is frankly impossible to imagine how the system can grow fast enough to fulfil this demand.

"We shouldn't underestimate what this means for children in particular: many schools expect an assessment and formal diagnosis to access support - and children and their families suffer whilst they wait."

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

Although the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends people with suspected autism be diagnosed within three months of a referral, 147,070 patients had been waiting at least 13 weeks in December. This is six times the 24,250 in December 2019.

Analysis of the data by Nuffield Trust found 79% of people who had been waiting 13 weeks or longer had not had their first appointment with a specialist - up from 44% in December 2019.

'It's a national disgrace'

Kevin Healey was diagnosed with ADHD after going to see a private psychologist in November 2023 – but policy means he has to be reassessed by an NHS doctor in order to access medication.

Having been told he could be on the NHS waiting list for up to three years, Mr Healey went private as it was "quicker". The diagnosis took 20 hours of assessment over several weeks.

He then planned to go to the NHS for treatment. But after being referred to his local ADHD unit, Mr Healey was told that he cannot receive medication via the NHS without being "reassessed" by one of the health service's doctors - which comes with a year-and-a-half wait.

Describing the process as "barbaric", he told Sky News: "There's an official diagnosis so I don't know why I've got to go down the route of having a reassessment. In their letter, [the NHS] stated that my diagnosis could potentially be revoked if they felt that I didn't have ADHD."

He said: "The medication is a controlled drug and needs to be prescribed by a psychiatrist. Then a person can learn to live functionally, function in society and lead a normal life."

Addressing the wider situation, Mr Healey added: "I think it's a national disgrace. Parents, children, adults, families, at the end of their tether waiting for a diagnosis.

"It's not just affecting me, it's affecting thousands of people across the UK. And why should we have to suffer in silence? We need government officials to act now."

Between October and December last year, those who had their first appointment waited an average of nine months from referral.

In December 2019, the wait was an average of four months, the thinktank says.

Kevin Healey, ADHD case study - still from Sky News VT

Ms Stein warned: "We are only now beginning to recognise just how many people are neurodiverse.

"The challenge is that we have an obsolete health service model in place to deal with this avalanche of need.

"The huge rise detailed in our analysis is likely to be down to a combination of changing social attitudes and better awareness.

"We need to urgently understand the different elements of this complex picture and find a whole system approach across education, society at large and the health service.

"Pumping more money into the current model certainly isn't the solution: a radical rethink is required."

Read more from Sky News: A&E waits: Hundreds may have died unnecessarily Thousands with Type 1 diabetes to get 'artificial pancreas'

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An NHS spokesperson said: "The NHS is fully committed to supporting and improving the lives of those with ADHD and autism which is why we have published new national guidance to help local areas to manage the 50% increase in referrals they have seen over last year.

"NHS England has also begun important work into investigating challenges in ADHD service provision and last month launched a cross sector taskforce alongside government, to help provide a joined-up approach for the growing numbers of people coming forward for support."

Content Analysis of Abstracts Published in Autism Journals in 2021: The year in Review

Haris memisevic.

Faculty of Educational Sciences, University of Sarajevo, 71000, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina

Amina Djipa

Ever since Leo Kanner first described autism in 1943, the research in this field has grown immensely. In 2021 alone, 5837 SCOPUS indexed documents were published with a title that contained the words: “autism”, “autistic”, or “ASD”. The purpose of this study was to examine the most common topics of autism research in 2021 and present a geographical contribution to this research.

We performed a content analysis of 1102 abstracts from the articles published in 11 Autism journals in 2021. The following journals, indexed by the SCOPUS database, were included: Autism, Autism Research, Molecular Autism, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Advances in Autism, Autism and Developmental Language Impairments , and Autism in Adulthood.

According to the analysis, the main research topics were: mental health, social communication, social skills, quality of life, parenting stress, ADHD, Covid-19, self-efficacy, special education, and theory of mind. In relation to geographic distribution, most studies came from the USA, followed by the UK, Australia, and Canada.

Research topics were aligned with the priorities set by stakeholders in autism, most notably persons with autism themselves and their family members. There is a big gap in research production between developed countries and developing countries.

Introduction

According to the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and the pattern of stereotypical and repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013 ). An Austrian-American psychiatrist Leo Kanner was the first scientist who described a condition that we now refer to as ASD in 1943 (Kanner, 1943 ). Ever since that seminal paper describing the case histories of 11 children was published, the interest in autism research has grown immensely. This is not surprising given the high prevalence of the condition. Current estimates show that ASD is a common disorder, with a median prevalence of around 1%, and a median male-to-female ratio of 4.2:1 (Zeidan et al., 2022 ). The rise in the prevalence of autism has been associated with new research and investments in autism research internationally (Pellicano et al., 2014 ). Given this rise in research funds dedicated to autism research, it is of critical importance to determine the research priorities in this field. In a study examining research priorities, stakeholders preferred applied to basic research topics and gave importance to topics such as co-occurring conditions, health and well-being, and lifespan issues (Frazier et al., 2018 ). From the parents’ perspective, the priorities are quite similar, and involve topics such as health and well-being, socialization and social support, community awareness, and understanding of Autism (Clark & Adams, 2020 ). Another topic of interest is the similarities and differences of the impact of autism in different world regions, as it is difficult to draw public attention to this condition in less developed countries (Hahler & Elsabbagh, 2015 ).

Thus, in this article, we examined the most frequent research topics in autism research in 2021 and reviewed from which countries these studies originate. The reference for this research is the SCOPUS database. The SCOPUS is an abstract and indexing database produced by Elsevier and covers abstracts and citations from 1966 to the present (Burnham, 2006 ). The SCOPUS database was selected for this analysis as it has broader coverage in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities than the Web of Science (Memisevic et al., 2019 ).

According to the SCOPUS database, in 2021, 5837 documents were published that in its title contained the words “autism”, autistic” or “ASD”. Most of these documents were scientific articles (5034), with the rest of the documents including books, chapters, and conference papers. As an illustration of this growth in autism research, let us point to the fact that in 2001 there were 558 such documents, and in 2011, there were 2120 documents. More than 100 scientific journals had at least five articles published in 2021 with the terms “autism”, “autistic”, or “ASD” in their titles. Most of the articles were from the fields of medicine, psychology, neuroscience, social sciences, biochemistry, and health professions, but also some less expected fields such as engineering, environmental science, physics, business, and agriculture.

This review aimed to analyze the most prevalent research topics in Autism journals indexed in SCOPUS in the year 2021. We also provided a brief overview of the ten most frequent research topics and additional information on articles dealing with these topics. Lastly, we wanted to examine the main contributing countries to autism research.

The SCOPUS scientific base was used to extract data for this study. We examined all journals indexed by SCOPUS whose titles had the word “autism”. There were 11 such journals: Autism, Autism Research, Molecular Autism, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Education and Training in Autism and Developmental Disabilities, Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Advances in Autism, Autism and Developmental Language Impairments, and Autism in Adulthood.

Procedure and Analysis

The inclusion criteria for this review were that the final version of the article was published in 2021, and that it was a research article including original scientific articles, brief reports, case studies, case reports, and review articles. We did not extract data from Editorials, Commentaries, Letters to Editor, Book Reviews, and Corrections. We extracted the following information for each article: (1) Journal’s name, (2) Title of the article, (3) Country of the corresponding author, and (4) Abstract. Total number of analyzed articles was 1102. From the analysis output, we created two categories. The first is related to research topic (theme). Phrases containing two or more words were extracted, and we manually selected meaningful research topics. The second category was related to the subjects (participants) of the studies. The data were analyzed with R computer program (R Core Team, 2021 ). In addition, we extracted information regarding the country of origin of the corresponding author as a proxy for geographical contribution to autism research.

We first present the number of abstracts retrieved from each of the journals.

As can be seen from Table 1 ., almost 1/3 (68.3%) of all articles were retrieved from the top three journals: Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, Autism Research, and Autism .

The number of abstracts of articles retrieved from Autism Journals

The most common research topics in Autism Journals are presented in Table 2 .

The 15 most common research topics in Autism Journals

As can be seen from Table 2 . Mental health was the topic most frequently explored in these articles. Another category that we explored in relation to these abstracts was “participants”.

These data are shown in Table 3 .

Frequency of terms related to the category “participants”

Finally, we examined the corresponding author’s countries to see the geographical contribution to autism research. We only presented data for countries that had 10 or more articles published out of 1102 reviewed articles (Table 4 ).

Corresponding author’s country

By large margin, the USA had the largest share in autism research, followed by the UK, Australia, Canada, and China. There were total of 47 countries that contributed to the entire pool of studies, but the contribution of most of them was rather small. Actually, 32 countries had a contribution of less than 1%. Developing countries were largely underrepresented in the list of contributing countries.

The goal of the present study was to review the most common research topics that were published in Autism journals in 2021. The most frequent topic was mental health . This is not surprising given the challenges that people with ASD are facing with, as well as their families in their everyday lives. The Covid-19 pandemic probably caused an additional incentive for researching this topic. Several factors during the pandemic, such as lockdowns, physical distancing, economic breakdowns, all increase the risk of mental health problems and can even deepen health inequalities (Moreno et al., 2020 ). Given that people with ASD have much higher risk of co-occurring mental health conditions than those without ASD (Rydzewska et al., 2018 ), research interest in mental health deserves to be on the top of priorities in autism research. In line with this, there is a need to create and validate assessment instruments designed specifically for autistic individuals. One such promising instrument is the Assessment of Concerning Behavior which has very good psychometric properties and can be used in future studies (Tarver et al., 2021 ). Mental health was also explored in relation to job prospects of autistic individuals. Thus, mental health issues need to be addressed as they appear to negatively impact job search and maintenance (Martin & Lanovaz, 2021 ). Besides targeting people with autism, research in mental health also dealt with parents of autistic individuals. The research showed that parental mental health could be significantly improved through support services and by strengthening personal relationships (Schiller et al., 2021 ).

A topic that attracted much scientific attention was social communication, which is one of the core features of ASD. When exploring the abstracts containing the phrase “social communication” we discovered that in many abstracts this was not the main topic of the study but just part in which the authors defined and described autism. However, some of the studies dealt with social communication per se. For example, one study explored how social communication is related to early spoken language and how it predicts later language skills (Blume et al., 2021 ). Also, social communication was the subject of neuroanatomical studies. In one such study, authors examined neural synchronization of tempoparietal junction and found that participants with autism showed decreased neural synchrony of that brain region (Quiñones-Camacho et al., 2021 ). Lastly, let us mention an interesting study of yoga, in which authors indicated that creative yoga intervention might be a promising tool for improving social communication in children with ASD (Kaur et al., 2021 ).

Next in frequency was the topic of social skills. Social skills are quite susceptible to various treatment and can be improved. In one intervention study, the authors showed that Mixed Martial Arts intervention benefited social skills (Phung & Goldberg, 2021 ). A review of school-based social skills interventions was conducted by Dean & Chang ( 2021 ). In that review, the authors analyzed 18 intervention studies and concluded that these interventions improved social skills. The authors also pointed to the need for school practitioners to be more aware of school-intervention protocols to improve social skills of children with ASD. Eye-tracking task has been shown to predict social skills intervention outcomes (Raulston et al., 2021 ). Social skills were also examined in relation to another interesting concept, camouflaging. Camouflaging can be defined as behavioral adaptations of people with ASD to mask symptoms in social situations (Corbett et al., 2021 ). Camouflaging is more prevalent in autistic females than in males, which might be related to delays in the provision of support (Wood-Downie et al., 2021 ). Finally, let us mention the potential of modern technologies in improving social skills. One such promising modality for enhancing social skills is the video-enhanced activity schedules using tablet technology (Osos et al., 2021 ).

Quality of life is a topic of universal importance to all stakeholders in the field of autism. Earlier reviews have also shown that quality of life is one of the most important topics in autism research (Memišević & Đorđević, 2020 ). One of the studies reviewed investigated the relationship between sleep quality and quality of life in autistic adults (McLean et al., 2021 ). The authors concluded that interventions that target both sleep quality and stress could improve the quality of life of autistic individuals. The quality of life of caregivers of autistic persons is dependent on behavioral problems in persons with autism. A study by Kurokawa et al., ( 2021 ), indicated a relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms and behavioral problems. Thus, the appropriate assessment and treatment of gastrointestinal symptoms might lead to decreased problematic behavior and improved quality of life.

The next research topic we identified is parenting stress. It is well-established that parents of children with ASD have more stress than parents of typically developing children (Bonis, 2016 ). This review found studies that identified factors associated with higher stress levels. For example, in a study by Raff et al., ( 2021 ), the authors found that parental perceptions about family support, symptom predictability, and treatment beliefs were related to parental stress. Similarly, a study by Kurtz et al., ( 2021 ) pointed to the relationship between a child’s problem behavior and parental stress. The authors highlighted the importance of determining the function of problematic behavior in relation to parental stress. Interestingly, one study found that parental stress was not associated with ASD symptom severity (Voliovitch et al., 2021 ). These authors have also pointed that parental stress should be assessed prior to the diagnostic evaluation of the child.

A frequent co-occurring condition with autism is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This topic has also attracted much scientific attention, especially the studies on the prevalence of ADHD in ASD. One of the studies from 2021 was the meta-analysis of the ADHD prevalence in ASD, and the results showed a prevalence rate of 38.5% for pooled current estimate and 40.2% for lifetime prevalence (Rong et al., 2021 ). The prevalence of ADHD symptoms in preschool children with ASD revealed that 27% of children belonged to high ADHD symptom group, and 30% to moderate ADHD symptom group (Hong et al., 2021 ). However, a note of caution is necessary here as that study was referring to ADHD symptoms and not a clinically confirmed ADHD diagnosis.

The next topic was not on the list of autism research priorities before 2020, and that is the topic related to the Covid-19 pandemic. This pandemic has affected all spheres of life, including health, safety, and well-being of individuals and communities (Pfefferbaum & North, 2020 ). Autistic individuals might have an even higher risk of difficulties coping with Covid-19 due to unexpected changes in their routines (Spain et al., 2021 ). Spain et al. stressed that Covid-19 caused major disruption or loss of service provisions to people with ASD. The concern for mental health of persons with ASD was also expressed in an article by Bal et al., ( 2021 ). In that article, the authors found that younger females with personal Covid-19 experience (knowing someone who had Covid-19) reported the greatest negative impacts. According to the authors, one way to cope with this situation is for mental health providers to focus on positive aspects on one’s life, such as fostering hope. Researchers have also investigated the Covid-19 vaccination rate in people with ASD (Weinstein et al., 2021 ). The authors stressed that individuals with ASD are more susceptible to COVID-19 morbidity and should be prioritized for vaccination.

The topic of self-efficacy was ranked on the 8th place. This topic was investigated in relation to job seeking and interview process of autistic individuals. Again, the modern technologies, such as virtual reality, might be very helpful in gaining confidence. For example, virtual interactive training agents were found to increase self-efficacy skills and consequently outcomes for people with ASD (Burke et al., 2021 ). In addition to self-efficacy in autistic people, important consideration needs to be self-efficacy in parents of children with ASD. Findings indicate that parents who are more involved in their child’s therapeutic interventions also report higher levels of self-efficacy (Kurzrok et al., 2021 ).

The next topic on the list was special education. Some of the studies focused on special education eligibility as there seems to be a discrepancy between clinical diagnoses of ASD and the determination of special education eligibility (Stichter et al., 2021 ). Some studies were aimed at special education teachers. In one such study, special education teachers were asked whether they felt prepared to use evidence-based strategies in their work (Hamrick et al., 2021 ). The results of that study indicated a research-to-practice gap as special education teachers reported using many practices that were not identified as evidence-based practices. An interesting review was conducted by Rios & Burke ( 2021 ) regarding the facilitators and barriers to positive special education experiences. In that review, the authors found that facilitators to positive experience were: understanding special education services, parent-school communication, and parent support. On the other hand, barriers to positive special education experience included: limited access to resources, stigma, cultural divergence, and lack of access to special education knowledge.

We end this short overview of topics with theory of mind (TOM), ranked 10th on our list. TOM is the ability to impute mental states to oneself and others, including thoughts, feelings, intentions, and beliefs (Premack & Woodruff, 1978 ). There are some inconsistent results regarding TOM in people with ASD. While some studies reported that people with ASD have difficulties in TOM, (Baron-Cohen, 2000 ; Schneider et al., 2013 ), there are authors who stated that the claim that autistic individuals lack of TOM is not empirically supported and that such claims of autistic persons lack TOM can even be societally harmful (Gernsbacher & Yergeau, 2019 ). In any case, assessing TOM is a very important task in creating intervention programs. Here we will mention two instruments for measuring TOM, one for children and one for adults. The Theory of Mind Inventory-2 for children is a promising measure in assessing TOM. The research indicates that Theory of Mind Inventory − 2 is appropriate for reflecting children’s developmental stages of theory of mind (Lee et al., 2021 ). This in turn, can inform treatment options for improving social cognition. On the other hand, there is a promising attempt at creating instruments for measuring TOM in adults. Hutchins et al., ( 2021 ) created a Theory of Mind Inventory: Self-Report Adult and suggested it could be used as a promising research and clinical tool for the assessment of social cognition in adults.

These were the ten most common research themes published in 2021 that we identified in this review. Due to space constraints, we could not provide more information on other articles and research topics that are equally worthy of scientific attention. We hope this overview of topics will help and encourage authors, especially from developing countries, to conduct these kinds of studies in their own countries.

In relation to the participants of the studies, we can conclude that all groups seem to be well represented, including children, adolescents, and adults. In the future, the differences in the number of studies including children and those including adults will probably be further reduced as the topics related to lifelong supports, transitions, and employment are gaining its momentum.

As for the contributing countries to autism research, it is evident that most corresponding authors come from the USA, UK, Australia, and Canada. Although 47 countries contributed to the pool of 1102 articles published in 2021, only small portion of articles actually came from developing countries. In order to create effective policies, it is important to understand the global burden of autism (Baxter et al., 2015), which is much more severe in developing countries. So, why are there not more autism articles originating from developing countries? Some of the reasons are: poor scientific production, poor preparation of manuscripts, poor access to scientific literature, poor participation in publication-related decision-making processes, and bias of journals (Langer et al., 2004 ). Initiatives such as joint collaboration of authors from developing and developed countries, increased regional representation of scientists from developing countries on editorial boards of autism journals, and special issues of international journals that will have regional focus, are all ways to increase, at least partially, the contribution from developing countries.

Let us mention some of the limitations of the current review. Due to the selection criteria, we did not include many journals that produced articles on autism in this review. Thus, future reviews might be more inclusive and diverse in relation to reviewed journals. Next, in the description of the ten most common research topics, there was some part of subjectivity on the side of authors. We could not reference all published papers on the certain research topic and probably the selection of articles would be different in other authors.

It is quite encouraging that research topics were very much aligned with the priorities set by stakeholders in autism, most notably persons with autism themselves and their family members. We also hope the next review will include more articles from developing countries.

Conflict of interest

Authors report no conflict of interest. All the data are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Ethics Approval

The study was approved by the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Educational Studies.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Break the Stigma: Autism

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While awareness of neurodiversity and specific forms of neurodivergence, such as autism, has increased over the last few years, autism stigma and prejudice against autistic people remains a critical issue that warrants further attention and investigation. The experience of stigma and prejudice, such as ...

Keywords : autism, stigma, awareness, stigmatizing

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3. problems students are facing at public k-12 schools.

We asked teachers about how students are doing at their school. Overall, many teachers hold negative views about students’ academic performance and behavior.

48% say the academic performance of most students at their school is fair or poor; a third say it’s good and only 17% say it’s excellent or very good.
49% say students’ behavior at their school is fair or poor; 35% say it’s good and 13% rate it as excellent or very good.

Teachers in elementary, middle and high schools give similar answers when asked about students’ academic performance. But when it comes to students’ behavior, elementary and middle school teachers are more likely than high school teachers to say it’s fair or poor (51% and 54%, respectively, vs. 43%).

A horizontal stacked bar chart showing that many teachers hold negative views about students’ academic performance and behavior.

Teachers from high-poverty schools are more likely than those in medium- and low-poverty schools to say the academic performance and behavior of most students at their school are fair or poor.

The differences between high- and low-poverty schools are particularly striking. Most teachers from high-poverty schools say the academic performance (73%) and behavior (64%) of most students at their school are fair or poor. Much smaller shares of teachers from low-poverty schools say the same (27% for academic performance and 37% for behavior).

In turn, teachers from low-poverty schools are far more likely than those from high-poverty schools to say the academic performance and behavior of most students at their school are excellent or very good.

Lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

A horizontal stacked bar chart showing that most teachers say the pandemic has had a lasting negative impact on students’ behavior, academic performance and emotional well-being.

Among those who have been teaching for at least a year, about eight-in-ten teachers say the lasting impact of the pandemic on students’ behavior, academic performance and emotional well-being has been very or somewhat negative. This includes about a third or more saying that the lasting impact has been very negative in each area.

Shares ranging from 11% to 15% of teachers say the pandemic has had no lasting impact on these aspects of students’ lives, or that the impact has been neither positive nor negative. Only about 5% say that the pandemic has had a positive lasting impact on these things.

A smaller majority of teachers (55%) say the pandemic has had a negative impact on the way parents interact with teachers, with 18% saying its lasting impact has been very negative.

These results are mostly consistent across teachers of different grade levels and school poverty levels.

Major problems at school

When we asked teachers about a range of problems that may affect students who attend their school, the following issues top the list:

Poverty (53% say this is a major problem at their school)
Chronic absenteeism – that is, students missing a substantial number of school days (49%)
Anxiety and depression (48%)

One-in-five say bullying is a major problem among students at their school. Smaller shares of teachers point to drug use (14%), school fights (12%), alcohol use (4%) and gangs (3%).

Differences by school level

A bar chart showing that high school teachers more likely to say chronic absenteeism, anxiety and depression are major problems.

Similar shares of teachers across grade levels say poverty is a major problem at their school, but other problems are more common in middle or high schools:

61% of high school teachers say chronic absenteeism is a major problem at their school, compared with 43% of elementary school teachers and 46% of middle school teachers.
69% of high school teachers and 57% of middle school teachers say anxiety and depression are a major problem, compared with 29% of elementary school teachers.
34% of middle school teachers say bullying is a major problem, compared with 13% of elementary school teachers and 21% of high school teachers.

Not surprisingly, drug use, school fights, alcohol use and gangs are more likely to be viewed as major problems by secondary school teachers than by those teaching in elementary schools.

Differences by poverty level

A dot plot showing that majorities of teachers in medium- and high-poverty schools say chronic absenteeism is a major problem.

Teachers’ views on problems students face at their school also vary by school poverty level.

Majorities of teachers in high- and medium-poverty schools say chronic absenteeism is a major problem where they teach (66% and 58%, respectively). A much smaller share of teachers in low-poverty schools say this (34%).

Bullying, school fights and gangs are viewed as major problems by larger shares of teachers in high-poverty schools than in medium- and low-poverty schools.

When it comes to anxiety and depression, a slightly larger share of teachers in low-poverty schools (51%) than in high-poverty schools (44%) say these are a major problem among students where they teach.

Discipline practices

About two-thirds of teachers (66%) say that the current discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat mild – including 27% who say they’re very mild. Only 2% say the discipline practices at their school are very or somewhat harsh, while 31% say they are neither harsh nor mild.

We also asked teachers about the amount of influence different groups have when it comes to determining discipline practices at their school.

67% say teachers themselves don’t have enough influence. Very few (2%) say teachers have too much influence, and 29% say their influence is about right.

A diverging bar chart showing that two-thirds of teachers say they don’t have enough influence over discipline practices at their school.

31% of teachers say school administrators don’t have enough influence, 22% say they have too much, and 45% say their influence is about right.
On balance, teachers are more likely to say parents, their state government and the local school board have too much influence rather than not enough influence in determining discipline practices at their school. Still, substantial shares say these groups have about the right amount of influence.

Teachers from low- and medium-poverty schools (46% each) are more likely than those in high-poverty schools (36%) to say parents have too much influence over discipline practices.

In turn, teachers from high-poverty schools (34%) are more likely than those from low- and medium-poverty schools (17% and 18%, respectively) to say that parents don’t have enough influence.

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Table of contents, ‘back to school’ means anytime from late july to after labor day, depending on where in the u.s. you live, among many u.s. children, reading for fun has become less common, federal data shows, most european students learn english in school, for u.s. teens today, summer means more schooling and less leisure time than in the past, about one-in-six u.s. teachers work second jobs – and not just in the summer, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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