Qualitative studies of autistic people's pregnancy experiences have indicated sensory and communication related barriers to accessing adequate prenatal healthcare. However, quantitative work on the topic is scarce. This online survey study explored pregnancy experiences among 417 autistic and 524 non-autistic people. Compared with non-autistic…

This study evaluated attention, sensory processing, and social responsiveness and the relationship between these constructs among autistic and neurotypical adults. Participants included 24 autistic adults (17-30 years) and 24 neurotypical peers who completed the Test of Everyday Attention, Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP), and the Social…

Research has found 96% of autistic individuals experience sensory processing difficulties, and being a parent presents many sensory demands that may be especially challenging for autistic mothers. Despite the high prevalence, no research exists exploring the sensory experiences of autistic mothers, highlighting the gap in current knowledge.…

Sensory sensitivities are common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and impact daily life, but research has largely focused on children, neglecting older individuals. Likewise, while there is research regarding parental concerns for their autistic children's transition to adulthood, little is known about the role of sensory sensitivities. To…

The aim of this study is to reveal preschool teachers' views on sensory education. In the study, phenomenological design, one of the qualitative research methods, was selected. The study group of the research consists of 20 preschool teachers working in a city in Turkey in the 2022-2023 academic year. Maximum diversity sampling, one of the…

While atypical sensory processes have become central to scientific explanatory models of autism, such models usually do not explicitly address first-person experiences of sensory processes by autistic individuals. Detailed phenomenological research of this subjective domain is nonetheless essential to ground explanatory accounts in the actual…

Poor mental health--compared to that of the neurotypical child population--is a serious concern for many autistic children and young people around the world. In the UK, we have an increasing number of autistic young people receiving care in NHS funded in-patient mental health facilities. While sensory processing differences have now been added to…

This research explores how adolescent females who have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience secondary education in England and make sense of their identity. Within schools, responsibility for supporting this population is placed in the hands of teachers, though prior research suggests that teachers feel…

Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) are increasingly used in clinical and school settings to promote psychological and social-emotional well-being among youth. However, the precise role of youth-animal relationships in shaping developmental trajectories is understudied. Research is needed to expand human-centric models of child development,…

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder often have difficulties with social integration and sensory challenges on collegiate campuses. These difficulties are sometimes tied together as social integration spaces are not always sensory-friendly and can be overwhelming for the individual. Creating a sensory-friendly space within the potentially…

This study explored educators' perspectives on the role the physical and sensory Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) environment plays in supporting children's social and emotional development. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted, in August 2022, at two ECEC sites in Victoria, Australia. Data were thematically analysed and key…

Reviews have called for the greater involvement of autistic young people in developing methods for eliciting their views. Methodologically, co-design is important for developing credible and acceptable approaches; conceptually and practically, co-design offers a means through which to address the double empathy problem for research and practice,…

Autistic people are over-represented at gender clinics, but there is limited research to guide clinical practice with this group. We investigated the perspectives of clinicians working with autistic patients who experience gender dysphoria. We asked clinicians about the relationship between autism and gender dysphoria, and whether they work…

The objective of the study was to develop a prototype for an accessible, high quality, cost and time-effective 'Development Profiling Tool' for use in reception classes. This would build a unique picture of every individual child's developmental at the beginning of their educational journey, meaning that interventions for any comparable areas of…

Compared with other age groups, the literacy practices and creative outputs of older adults (50+ years) have been seldom researched. Generally, research about older adults has tended to focus on decline and agential passivity, rather than potentiality. In this article, we report on a small ethnographic study of older Australians who were part of a…