1. Andreou M, Lampri S, Marinis T, Peristeri E. Bilingualism Effects in Metaphor and Simile Comprehension and Production in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res. 2025.

Figurative language, including metaphors and similes, is a crucial component of communication; yet, it presents significant challenges for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A critical gap in existing research is the impact of bilingualism on the ability of children with ASD to understand and produce non-literal speech. This study addresses this gap by examining the comprehension and production of metaphors and similes in monolingual and bilingual Greek-speaking children with high-functioning ASD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate these abilities in bilingual children with ASD. Thirty-three monolingual and 18 bilingual children participated in tasks designed to assess comprehension, production, and error patterns for metaphors and similes. The study has also investigated the roles of non-verbal intelligence, language skills (expressive vocabulary), and executive functions (working memory) in the children’s performance in the metaphor and simile tasks. Results showed that the two groups did not differ in metaphor comprehension; however, bilingual autistic children with higher non-verbal intelligence appeared to have superior performance in metaphor comprehension compared to their bilingual peers with lower non-verbal intelligence. The bilingual autistic children outperformed their monolingual peers in metaphor production, likely due to their higher non-verbal intelligence ability, despite the fact that the bilingual group had lower expressive vocabulary scores than the monolingual children. Simile comprehension, on the other hand, favored monolingual children, while no significant group differences were observed in simile production. Regarding errors, both groups exhibited similar error patterns, with literal interpretations being the dominant error type across both groups, suggesting that pragmatic language difficulty is a hallmark feature in ASD. The findings challenge the misconception that bilingualism hinders language development in children with ASD and highlight its potential to provide benefits in the realm of non-literal language processing.

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2. Baransi N, Scharf M. Can a Short-Term Intervention Promote Growth Among Parents of Children with ASD?. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

The present study investigated the effects of a short-term synergic growth mindset intervention towards abilities and towards stress on reducing parental stress and promoting stress-related growth (SRG) among Arab parents of children diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). One hundred and seven parents (70 mothers, 37 fathers) of male children with ASD, completed several questionnaires, including a demographic questionnaire; the Childhood Autism Rating Scale, the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, the revised Stress- Related Growth Scale, The Implicit Self-Theories Scale, and the Stress Mindset Scale. Seventy- two parents were randomly assigned to an « intervention group », and 35 to a comparison group. Members of the intervention group participated in a short synergic growth mindset intervention, created especially for this research. Six months after the intervention, all participants re-completed the same questionnaires. The intervention significantly increased growth mindset and SRG and decreased parental stress. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a short-term intervention in promoting growth mindsets, reducing parental stress, and fostering SRG among parents of children with a chronic disorder. These findings are particularly important since many parents of children with chronic disorders often exhibit fixed mindset patterns due to their children’s slow progress in various developmental domains.

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3. Barnes SA, Thomazeau A, Finnie PSB, Heinrich MJ, Heynen AJ, Komiyama NH, Grant SGN, Menniti FS, Osterweil EK, Bear MF. Non-ionotropic signaling through the NMDA receptor GluN2B carboxy-terminal domain drives dendritic spine plasticity and reverses fragile X phenotypes. Cell Rep. 2025: 115311.

N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced spine shrinkage proceeds independently of ion flux and requires the initiation of de novo protein synthesis. Using subtype-selective pharmacological and genetic tools, we find that structural plasticity is dependent on ligand binding to GluN2B-containing NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and signaling via the GluN2B carboxy-terminal domain (CTD). Disruption of non-ionotropic signaling by replacing the GluN2B CTD with the GluN2A CTD leads to an increase in spine density, dysregulated basal protein synthesis, exaggerated long-term depression mediated by G-protein-coupled metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR-LTD), and epileptiform activity reminiscent of phenotypes observed in the Fmr1 knockout (KO) model of fragile X syndrome. By crossing the Fmr1 KO mice with animals in which the GluN2A CTD has been replaced with the GluN2B CTD, we observe a correction of these core fragile X phenotypes. These findings suggest that non-ionotropic NMDAR signaling through GluN2B may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of fragile X and related causes of intellectual disability and autism.

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4. Carbone PS, Campbell K, Villalobos M, Stuart A, Ellzey A, Stoddard GJ, Roundy J, Tripp ZT, Stipelman C. Primary Care Autism Screening with the Parent’s Observations of Social Interactions. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

PURPOSE: To report results of the Parent’s Observations of Social Interactions (POSI) and identify associations between POSI results with referrals for developmental evaluations and autism diagnoses. METHODS: We examined data from electronic health records of POSI-screened children attending 18- and 24-month health supervision visits from July 2018 to July 2022 for POSI screening results and autism diagnoses. Descriptive statistics and regression models were used for analysis. RESULTS: In 6669 POSI-screened children (age at follow-up, 42-107 months), 1065 of 4228 children screened at 18 months (25.2%) and 851 of 4896 children at 24 months (17.4%) screened positive. In 1079 children with positive POSI screenings, 233 children (21%) were referred for developmental evaluation. Autism was diagnosed in 184 of all 6669 children (2.8%). The POSI sensitivity for autism was 66.4% (95% CI 59.2-72.8%) and the positive predictive value was 9.2% (95% CI 7.4-10.6%). A positive POSI increased the likelihood of autism diagnosis at 18 months (adjusted odds ratio, 5.21; 95% CI 3.45-7.86) and 24 months (adjusted odds ratio 10.21; 95% CI 7.07-14.76). Autism was diagnosed 13 months earlier in children with a positive rather than negative POSI (35.5 vs 48.1 months; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The POSI is a sensitive screening instrument for autism with a low positive predictive value (high percentage of false positive screenings), indicating the need for clarification about which children require further evaluation. Screening positive on the POSI was associated with a greater likelihood and earlier diagnosis of children with autism.

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5. Clarey MM, Abel S, Ireland MJ, Brownlow C. Autistic Burnout on Reddit: A Sisyphean Struggle with Daily Tasks. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

The crippling impacts of autistic burnout are well known to the autistic community, yet research is only in its early stages. While research to date has chiefly relied on structured interviews and Delphi studies, it has focused on defining and measuring burnout. What is missing from the research is an analysis of the broader experiences of autistic burnout, and the very real implications that autistic people face when impacted by it. This study reviewed the narratives of autistic people discussing their experiences of autistic burnout on the social media platform Reddit. Using data scraped from Reddit, quantitative and qualitative analyses were undertaken to elicit meaning from the online discourse. After analysing 249 Reddit threads using quantitative content analysis, the results supported existing research identifying three core components of autistic burnout, those being: chronic exhaustion; increased sensory sensitivities; and social withdrawal. New insights were found with users reporting physiological ailments as a complicating factor in their burnout experience. The research also found evidence supporting suggested treatment options for autistic burnout including reducing/stopping social obligations, reducing sensory inputs as much as possible, and time spent alone to reset and recharge. Most importantly, users identified that being autonomous in their recovery choices was critical to the success of their recovery.

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6. Clarke EB, Duncan A, Lord C. What About Life Skills? Tailoring Interventions for Autism and Beyond. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2025.

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7. Hsu CW, Lin YW, Chen YB, Wang LJ, Kuo HC. Association of Kawasaki disease with intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ital J Pediatr. 2025; 51(1): 52.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between Kawasaki disease (KD) and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) remains unclear. This study aims to explore the association between them. METHOD: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Embase databases from inception to May 1, 2024 (INPLASY202450017). We included case-control or cohort studies comparing KD patients to healthy controls in assessing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and intellectual disability (ID). The meta-analysis employed a random-effects model to calculate effect sizes using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the disease occurrence. Moreover, mean differences (MDs) were used to calculate intelligence quotient (IQ). RESULTS: Four eligible studies, including 1,454,499 participants, were analyzed for ADHD, ASD, and ID. The risk of ADHD in KD patients was higher than in healthy controls (HR[95%CI] = 1.76[1.21-2.57]). However, the risks of ASD (HR[95%CI] = 1.68[0.47-5.94]) and ID (HR[95%CI] = 1.39[0.52-2.63]) were not significantly different between KD and controls. Additionally, three studies with 365 participants were analyzed for IQ. IQ comparisons showed no significant differences in full IQ (MD[95%CI]=-0.01[-2.44-2.42]), verbal IQ (MD[95%CI]=-1.05[-4.42-2.33]), and performance IQ (MD[95%CI]=-0.08[-2.75-2.59]). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that individuals with KD have a higher risk for ADHD but not for ASD or ID. TRIAL REGISTRATION: INPLASY, INPLASY202450017. Registered 05 May 2024, https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-5-0017/ .

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8. Laskowski NM, Jürgensen VC, Lehe MS, Halbeisen G, Paslakis G. Converging paths: Autistic traits, body image concerns, and disordered eating symptoms in women. J Psychiatr Res. 2025; 183: 204-11.

Autistic traits, such as sensory sensitivities and rigid routines, have been linked to body dissatisfaction (BD) and eating disorders (EDs). However, the interplay between autistic traits, fat- and muscularity-related BD, and disordered eating remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between autistic traits, BD, and disordered eating in 298 women. Correlations and mediation analyses, alongside bootstrapping techniques, were used to evaluate relationships between variables. Autistic traits were positively associated with « traditional » disordered eating symptoms including food avoidance and selective eating as well as appearance-related aspects of muscle dysmorphia. Autistic traits were positively associated with avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) symptoms. BD was elevated with increasing autistic traits, only in relation to body fat, not muscularity. Only body fat-related BD (BD-F), but not muscularity-related BD (BD-M) mediated the effect of autistic traits on disordered eating symptoms, predicting increases in both ED and body dysmorphic symptoms, as well as reductions in ARFID symptoms. Our findings suggest that women with autistic traits may be more susceptible to internalizing socially perpetuated body ideals or to social feedback towards their appearance, as only stereotypically « female-typed » BD-F, but not « male-typed » dissatisfaction with muscularity (BD-M) mediated the link between autistic traits and disordered eating. Implications are discussed.

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9. Rentschler LF, Hume K, Steinbrenner JR, Bagatell N, Boyd B, Shogren K. Efficacy of an Online Caregiver Learning Series for Promoting Daily Living Skills of Autistic Adolescents. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

Daily living skills (DLS) are one key predictor of autistic adults attending post-secondary education, obtaining employment, and living independently. However, these skills often lag behind typical development for autistic people regardless of their cognitive abilities. Autistic adolescents and their caregivers have indicated a desire for more DLS supports. While there are evidence-based practices (EBPs) to teach DLS, autistic adolescents without intellectual disabilities are unlikely to receive DLS instruction in their general education coursework, and caregivers report lacking resources and strategies to teach these skills at home. To address these concerns, we developed an eLearning module series to support caregivers of autistic adolescents without intellectual disabilities in promoting DLS at home. The current single case design study measured the impact of the modules on caregiver fidelity to the EBPs and adolescent independence with self-selected DLS. The study also assessed the social validity of the modules. The results of this study reveal functional relationships between the module series and caregiver fidelity to the EBPs and to adolescent independence with targeted DLS. The caregivers and the adolescents both rated the acceptability, feasibility, and significance of the intervention favorably. These results indicate that the novel eLearning series is a successful and practical way to support autistic adolescents and their families to target and enhance DLS at home.

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10. Rodrigues BA, Silva JDN, Kawamoto EM. Cerebellar Alterations in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mini-Review. Cerebellum. 2025; 24(2): 52.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social communication and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior. In addition, individuals diagnosed with ASD may also present cognitive impairments. The neurobiological mechanisms possibly associated with the cause of ASD have not yet been fully elucidated. Studies suggest that brain alterations, especially in the cerebellum, play a fundamental role in the etiology of ASD. This brain region, traditionally associated with motor control, has been implicated in several cognitive and emotional processes, many of which are impaired in autistic individuals. This mini-review examines the evidence on cerebellar abnormalities associated with ASD, discussing their implications for the understanding and treatment of the disorder.

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11. Specchio N, Di Micco V, Aronica E, Auvin S, Balestrini S, Brunklaus A, Gardella E, Scheper M, Taglialatela M, Trivisano M, Curatolo P. The epilepsy-autism phenotype associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies: New mechanism-based therapeutic options. Epilepsia. 2025.

Epilepsy and autism often co-occur in genetic developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs), but their underlying neurobiological processes remain poorly understood, complicating treatment. Advances in molecular genetics and understanding the neurodevelopmental pathogenesis of the epilepsy-autism phenotype may lead to mechanism-based treatments for children with DEEs and autism. Several genes, including the newly reported PPFIA3, MYCBP2, DHX9, TMEM63B, and RELN, are linked to various neurodevelopmental and epileptic disorders, intellectual disabilities, and autistic features. These findings underscore the clinical heterogeneity of genetic DEEs and suggest diverse neurobiological mechanisms influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Mechanisms linking epilepsy and autism include γ-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) signaling dysregulation, synaptic plasticity, disrupted functional connectivity, and neuroinflammatory responses. GABA system abnormalities, critical for inhibitory neurotransmission, contribute to both conditions. Dysregulation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway and neuroinflammation are also pivotal, affecting seizure generation, drug resistance, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Abnormal synaptic function and connectivity further underscore the epilepsy-autism phenotype. New treatment options targeting specific mechanisms linked to the epilepsy-autism phenotype are emerging. Genetic variants in potassium channel genes like KCNQ2 and KCNT1 are frequent causes of early onset DEEs. Personalized treatments like retigabine and quinidine have been explored with heterogeneous responses. Efforts are ongoing to develop more effective KCNQ activators and KCNT1 blockers. SCN1A genetic variants, particularly in Dravet syndrome, show potential for treatment of autistic symptoms with low-dose clonazepam, fenfluramine, and cannabidiol, although human trials have yet to consistently replicate animal model successes. Early intervention before the age of 3 years, particularly in SCN1A- and tuberous sclerosis complex-related DEEs, is crucial. Additionally, targeting the mTOR pathway shows promise for seizure control and managing epilepsy-associated comorbidities. Understanding the distinct autism spectrum disorder phenotype in DEEs and implementing early behavioral interventions are essential for improving outcomes. Despite genetic advances, significant challenges persist in diagnosing and treating DEE-associated epilepsy-autism phenotypes. Future clinical trials should adopt precision health approaches to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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12. Taylor JL, Carlson SR, DaWalt LS, Burke MM, Herbert GA, Mailick MR. The Vocational and Educational Index: An Update to the Vocational Index to Reflect Contemporary Postsecondary Educational Options for Autistic Adults. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

The Vocational Index, a tool to reliably capture the range of vocational and educational activities in which adults with autism engage, is regularly used in studies of adult outcomes in autism. However, recently it has been noted that there are some activities (primarily postsecondary education options) that were infrequently available when the index was developed and thus are not fully represented in the current categories. The purpose of this report is to describe the process and results of updating the Vocational Index coding categories to reflect this wider range of activities. An iterative process was used to develop updated codes (called the Vocational and Educational Index). The original Vocational Index and updated Vocational and Educational Index codes were applied to a sample of 384 autistic young adults, and differences between original and updated codes were described. The major changes to the codes involved the development of a parallel educational dimension, benchmarked to the vocational dimension in level of integration, supports, and number of hours. Applying original Vocational Index and updated Vocational and Educational Index codes resulted in few differences in the overall distribution of codes but provided additional information about the contribution of vocational versus educational activities to the overall code. Limitations of the Vocational and Educational Index and future directions for research are discussed.

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13. Tönsing D, Schiller B, Vehlen A, Nickel K, van Elst LT, Domes G, Heinrichs M. Altered interactive dynamics of gaze behavior during face-to-face interaction in autistic individuals: a dual eye-tracking study. Mol Autism. 2025; 16(1): 12.

BACKGROUND: Previous eye-tracking research on autistic individuals has mostly examined the gaze behavior of one individual in response to social stimuli presented on a computer screen, suggesting that there is atypical gaze behavior. However, it is unknown how these findings translate to the interactive dynamics of gaze behavior during « face-to-face » encounters between two individuals. Only by analyzing the gaze behaviour of both interaction partners is it possible to determine the frequency of actual eye-contact and who initiates or breaks such periods of mutual eye gaze. The knowledge gained from this analysis could contribute to theorizing about the psychological mechanisms (e.g., gaze avoidance vs. gaze indifference) underlying autism. METHODS: The present study applied a novel dual eye-tracking setup that allows the assessment and analysis of the interactive dynamics of gaze behavior regarding (i) mutual eye gaze (i.e., eye contact), (ii) initiations, and (iii) break-ups of eye contact. Participants (37 autistic individuals, 37 age- and IQ-matched neurotypical individuals) performed a semi-standardized social interaction (i.e., Fast Friends Procedure) with a confederate (trained to interact in a standardized manner). RESULTS: Eye contact was reduced in interactions involving autistic individuals. Additional analyses revealed that this reduction was primarily due to the more frequent breaking of eye contact by these individuals. We also found considerable heterogeneity among autistic individuals, with atypical gaze behavior present in only about half of the sample. LIMITATIONS: Further research is required to determine whether the interactive dynamics of gaze behavior observed in this dual eye-tracking setup can be generalized to real-world situations. Future studies could also include arousal-related physiological measures. CONCLUSIONS: By tracking the gaze behavior of two interacting individuals, this study reveals specific atypicalities in the interactive dynamics of gaze behavior in a subset of autistic individuals, potentially informing diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. More broadly, our study highlights the added value of dual eye-tracking in elucidating the interactive nature of social encounters in both neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered as a clinical trial before starting data collection ( https://drks.de/search/en/trial/DRKS00018957 ; Registration Date: 12/17/2019).

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