Cognitive flexibility deficits are a hallmark feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but few evidence-based behavioral interventions have successfully addressed this treatment target. Outcome measurement selection may help account for previous findings. The probabilistic reversal learning task (PRL) is a measure of cognitive flexibility…

Despite the heterogeneity in autism, socioemotional difficulties are often framed as universal. Increasing evidence, however, suggests that socioemotional difficulties may be explained by alexithymia, a distinct yet frequently co-occurring condition. If, as some propose, autistic traits are responsible for socioemotional impairments, then…

This research explored parents' lived experience of the autism spectrum disorder assessment process when a diagnosis was "not" received. Six mothers and one stepfather were interviewed and transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The identified themes: 'My child is different', The emotional and…

Technology-assisted parent-mediated interventions improve accessibility and are acceptable but not proven to be effective. We conducted a systematic search of 6 databases. We included and analysed results from studies on social and communication outcomes. Sixteen Randomised-Controlled-Trials (RCTs) with 748 participants were included. Most studies…

The aim of this study was to identify emotion regulation (ER) strategies that most strongly impact momentary mood in a sample of 23 adults with and 19 without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants completed cognitive and behavioural assessments, online questionnaires, and experience sampling methodology questions. In the ASD group, the use…

Emotion dysregulation (ED) underlies psychiatric symptoms and impedes adaptive responses in autistic individuals. The Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement (EASE) program was the first mindfulness-based intervention designed to target emotion dysregulation in autistic adolescents (12-17 years old). This project partnered with stakeholders to…

JASP-EMT, the combined Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) and Joint Attention, Structured Play, and Emotion Regulation (JASPER) interventions, has been found to be effective for promoting social communication in young children with autism (Kasari et al. in J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 53(6):635-646, 2014). The current study examined the effects…

Emotion recognition has been identified as critical in the development of social communication and interaction with individuals having autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, little is known about the effects of the intervention and moderator factors with quantitative research. To carry out an analysis of effect size on the intervention emotion…

Guided by Pals' (in: McStay (ed) Identity and story: Creating self in narrative, American Psychological Association, Washington DC, 2006) model of self-making through a narrative lens in the context of adversity, this study investigated not only the difficulties but also the personal growth that parents have experienced while participating in the…

Intervention research on adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is sparse. Many adults with ASD experience impaired emotion regulation (ER), which is thought to contribute to higher rates of psychiatric comorbidities among adults with ASD and indirect effects upon adaptive functioning, interpersonal relationships, and vocational status. The…

The impact of facial emotion recognition (FER) deficits on facial emotion expression (FEE) during interaction with a novel computerized system was investigated in children with ASD (n = 20), in comparison to typically developing (TD) peers (n = 20). Although there was not clear evidence of impaired FEE, children with ASD showed more atypical FEE.…

This paper evaluates literature surrounding the effectiveness of Precision Teaching (PT) for improving the skill acquisition of children with autism. PT's aim is the attainment of behavioural fluency across educational and social contexts, as well as potentiality to enhance the learning of pupils with autism. This review evaluates the existing…

Children and adults with autism spectrum disorder are less accurate in facial emotion recognition, which is thought to contribute to impairment in social functioning. Although many interventions have been developed to improve facial emotion recognition, there is no consensus on how to best measure facial emotion recognition in people with autism…

The ability to notice internal sensations such as tense muscles, a rumbling stomach, or heavy eyelids and translate these internal sensations into emotional meaning such as anger, hunger, and fatigue is an important skill called interoceptive awareness. Deficits in interoception have been discovered within many conditions including autism spectrum…

Among social skills that are core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder, turn-taking plays a fundamental role in regulating social interaction and communication. Our main focus in this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a robot-enhanced intervention on turn-taking abilities. We aim to identify to what degree social robots can improve…