Multiple dimensions of comprehensive treatment models (CTMs) for learners with autism were evaluated in this study. The purpose of the study was to provide evaluative information upon which service providers, family members, and researchers could make decisions about model adoption, selection for a family member, or future research. Thirty CTMs were identified, with the majority based on an app...

While a large number of studies have reported impairments in social and interpersonal abilities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), relatively few studies have focused on self-related knowledge in this population. One of the processes implicated in the physical dimension of the Self is the sense of agency (SoA), i.e., the experience of initiating and controlling one's own action...

Camarata highlights the impact that symptom hetereogeneity, overlap, and individual differences can have on the accurate early diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and measurement of treatment outcomes. Nevertheless, these individual differences may provide avenues for predicting individual responses to treatment with the view to prospectively matching children with ASD to...

The features of autism that inhibit the independent demonstration of skills, as well as three effective interventions for increasing independence, are explored in this review article. Independent performance may prove difficult for individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) due to the core deficits of the disability, as well as executive function deficits that impact initiation and genera...

The empirical literature has presented inconsistent evidence for deficits in the recognition of basic emotion expressions in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which may be due to the focus on research with relatively small sample sizes. Additionally, it is proposed that although children with ASD may correctly identify emotion expression they rely on more deliberate, more time-cons...

Autism (ie, the autism spectrum disorders) is now recognized in 1 in 150 children. This article highlights the definition, neurobiology, screening, and diagnosis of autism. The genetics, immunology, imaging, and neurophysiology of autism are reviewed, with particular emphasis on areas that impact pediatricians. Early recognition of the social deficits that characterize autism is key to maximizi...

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of research concerning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) pursuing higher education. METHOD This study sought to augment this gap in the literature by surveying individuals with ASD who are currently college students or who have previously attended college. RESULTS Thirty-five individuals completed an online survey. These individuals reported rece...

There is emerging evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of music-based interventions for improving social functioning in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). While this evidence lends some support in favor of using song over spoken directives in facilitating engagement and receptive intervention in ASD, there has been little research that has investigated the efficacy of such stimuli o...

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders or autistic traits may profit from Internet and computer-mediated interactions, but there is concern about their Internet use becoming compulsive. This study investigated the link between autistic traits and Internet use in a 2-wave longitudinal study with a non-clinical community sample (n = 390). As compared to people with less autistic traits, peopl...

BACKGROUND Alarming increases in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder have been reported recently in the United States and Europe. OBJECTIVES To quantify and characterize prevalence trends over time in autism spectrum disorder in Minnesota. METHODS We conducted an age-period-birth cohort analysis of special educational disability data from the Minnesota Department of Children, Familie...