Purpose: Restricted and repetitive behaviours are a core feature of autism diagnoses but have not been widely studied in adulthood. This study examined the rates of and associations between repetitive behaviours and sensory sensitivity in autistic and non-autistic adults; and whether repetitive behaviours described as "stimming" impacted…

Autism (ASD) and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SCZ) are neurodevelopmental conditions with overlapping and interrelated symptoms. A network analysis approach that represents clinical conditions as a set of "nodes" (symptoms) connected by "edges" (relations among symptoms) was used to compare symptom organization in the two…

Individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to have suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, little research delineates the temporal and mechanistic associations between potential risk factors and suicidality in autistic individuals. We assessed 129 autistic and 121 age-matched and sex-assigned-at-birth-matched…

Background: Studies have found that presence of challenging behaviours and mental health problems limits employment for people with intellectual disabilities. This study investigates the associations between age, gender, living condition, level of intellectual disability, diagnoses, behaviour, mental health, and employment in adults with…

This study aimed at analyzing the differences in challenging behaviors between adults with intellectual disability and ASD and those who only had intellectual disability, as well as to explore associations between transdiagnostic and clinical variables to these differences. Therapists and educators of 163 adults with intellectual disability (83…

This study assesses the psychometric properties of three self-report measures of autistic-like tendencies in the general adult population: "autistic spectrum quotient (AQ)", "adult repetitive behaviours questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A)", and "systemizing quotient (SQ)". Three rounds of development and testing using different…

"The Autism Spectrum Handbook & Resource Guide" combines valuable, easy-to-understand educational information for consumers, patients, and their families, with official reports and releases about monitoring childhood growth and important milestones, community statistics, living with an ASD, and treatments and further resources for…

Background: Problem behaviours are common among people with intellectual disabilities (ID), but psychometrically evaluated instruments for assessing such behaviours are scarce. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory--Intellectual Disability (NPI-ID). Method: We assessed 108 residents with…

Studies of executive function (EF) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have reported mixed findings. Possible confounds include EF domain assessed and co-occurring neurodevelopmental diagnoses. EF task performance across multiple domains and everyday function of autistic adults (n = 110) was significantly different to age- and IQ-matched controls (n…

Restricted and repetitive behavior (RRB) is one of the two key diagnostic features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). DSM-5 highlights the importance of severity-based diagnostic modifiers assigned on the basis of intensity of needed supports. Therefore, there is a need for available measures that assess the severity of RRB. The repetitive…

Research shows that Latinos are less likely to be diagnosed with autism than their non-Latino counterparts. One factor that may contribute to these differences is that autism diagnostic instruments have not been adapted for the Latino population. The present study compared scores from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised for two groups: 48…

This chapter is a comprehensive discussion of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across the globe (e.g., United States, China, Brazil, Japan and Turkey). Topics that are discussed include the following: diagnostic criteria and approaches; international perspectives of ASD; western and eastern assessment practices; cultural considerations of assessment…

Several reports document increased prevalence of attention deficit and hyperactivity (ADHD) and similar symptoms in incarcerated members of the community. Such conditions have been associated with employment, educational outcomes, and development of anti-social behaviour in the general population. Little is known about how these symptoms are…

Each year, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) releases its annual list of scientific advances that represent significant progress in the field. The 20 studies selected have given new insight into the underlying biology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and potential risk factors, examined the state of the science in early…

The phenotypic heterogeneity of adults suspected of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires a standardized diagnostic approach that is feasible in all clinical settings. The autism mental status exam (AMSE) is an eight-item observational assessment that structures the observation and documentation of social, communicative and behavioral signs and…