1. Carnevali L, Valori I, Longa LD, Mantovani G, Mason G, Bin F, Farroni T. Time contingency and social engagement shape interaction choices in autism and neurotypical development. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 36757.

In social interactions, the coordination of biobehavioural rhythms – interpersonal synchrony (IS) – fosters cooperation, enhances prosocial behaviours, and moulds lifelong social attitudes. At the core of synchronous interactions is the ability to detect and respond contingently to communicative signals. Atypicalities in these processes may emerge along diverse developmental trajectories and contribute to socio-communicative difficulties commonly observed in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where social disconnection is often reported. Our exploratory research simulates interactions to delve into factors influencing IS in ASD and typically developing (TD) peers, examining the impact of time contingency and social engagement on preferences for social partners across the lifespan. Using a tablet-based task, 116 participants (n = 58 ASD, n = 58 TD; age range: 3.8-33 years) repeatedly interacted with faces that transitioned from side to front upon selection. Stimuli responses varied in time contingency (immediate or delayed response) and social engagement (smiley direct gaze vs. neutral averted gaze). Our results show that TD participants consistently prioritized social engagement, even in the absence of time contingency. In contrast, ASD participants prioritized contingency as a cue but only when this was paired with social engagement. We argue that the combination of time contingency and social engagement enhances social agency, which is particularly relevant for ASD. We discuss how creating predictable and engaging social environments could help autistic individuals feel more connected in social settings.

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2. D’Incal CP, Dierickx B, Vingerhoets C, van Haelst M, Annear DJ, Van Dijck A, Bastini L, Konings A, Elinck E, Mateiu L, van Eeghen AM, Kooy RF. A missense variant in the KH0-domain of FMRP downregulates the protein in a patient with the clinical hallmarks of fragile X syndrome. Eur J Hum Genet. 2025.

The majority of patients affected by fragile X syndrome (OMIM #300624), a common inherited form of autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disability, displays a CGG triplet repeat expansion in the Fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene promotor, resulting in hypermethylation and epigenetic silencing of the associated FMRP protein. Only a handful of missense variants have been described as causative for fragile X syndrome and only the p.Arg138Gln variant has been reported as recurrent. Here, we present a 23-year-old male subject with the clinical characteristics of fragile X syndrome who is diagnosed with the maternally inherited missense variant c.500A>C, that translates proline at amino acid residue 167 instead of glutamic acid (p.Gln167Pro), but without an FMR1 repeat expansion. Western blotting experiments demonstrated that the Gln167Pro mutant showed a remarkable reduction of FMRP expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines, paralleled by similar observations in a HEK293T overexpression system. Subsequent lymphoblastoid transcriptome analysis showed a dysregulated gene signature with significant overlap with that observed in patients with a fragile X repeat expansion. Genome-wide methylation analysis confirmed hypomethylation of the FMR1 promotor region, indicative for expression of the gene. This report suggests that the FMR1 c.500A>C (p.Gln167Pro) missense variant is causative for a fragile X syndrome phenotype with a disrupted molecular gene signature characteristic for the syndrome and illustrates the use of an ID gene panel as a complementary diagnostic tool in case of a negative CGG repeat expansion test.

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3. Friedman L, Maltman N, Sterling A, Hudock RL, DaWalt LS. Filled Pause Use in Autistic Adults and Their First-Degree Relatives: Gender Differences and Within-Family Associations. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2025: 1-15.

PURPOSE: Prior research indicates that filled pauses (e.g., um and uh) are a marker of pragmatic language. Although pragmatic language features run in families of autistic individuals, it is not clear whether variation in filled pause production of autistic adults is also familial. It is also possible that filled pause use is a subtle meaningful marker of gender differences. The present study examined filled pause production, a potential marker that may be linked to genetic liability, in autistic adults and their parents, and evaluated relationships with autism traits and the broad autism phenotype (BAP). METHOD: Autistic adults (n = 33 males, 10 females) and their parents (n = 15 fathers, 40 mothers) provided a monologic language sample, which were transcribed and analyzed for filled pauses, including um rate (ums out of total words), uh rate (uhs out of total words), and um ratio (ums out of total filled pauses). RESULTS: Autistic adult males and fathers produced higher rates of uhs and lower um ratios than autistic adult females and mothers, respectively. Among autistic adults, more autism traits were associated with lower um ratios and higher uh rates. Adult-filled pause use was associated with maternal filled pause use and paternal BAP features. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings build on research on gender differences in autism. The association between lower um ratio and more autism traits indicates that um may be a pragmatic marker related to core features of autism. The differential relationships in filled pauses of autistic adults and filled pauses and BAP features of their parents suggest that filled pauses may be familial. Findings have implications for examining the utility of filled pauses as markers of genetic liability for autism.

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4. Karim H, Oria L, Güner Öztürk Demir A, Elmas M, Verma A. DRP2 Mutation in Familial Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Case Report of 2 Consanguineous Patients. Clin Med Insights Case Rep. 2025; 18: 11795476251383753.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with a strong genetic basis, and rare X-linked variants may contribute to its pathogenesis, particularly in consanguineous families. We present 2 pediatric cases from related Turkish families carrying a novel hemizygous DRP2 stop-gain mutation (p.Q232X). Case 1, a 5-year-old male, presented with ASD, macrocephaly, hypotonia, chronic otitis media with conductive hearing loss, and a mild demyelinating polyneuropathy confirmed electrophysiologically. Case 2, a 7-year-old male cousin, showed developmental delay, hyperactivity, bilateral cryptorchidism, and recurrent otitis media with hearing loss. Whole-exome sequencing identified the same DRP2 mutation in both patients, classified as likely pathogenic. Case 1 additionally carried heterozygous variants of uncertain significance in COL4A2 and MFN2. Multidisciplinary management included behavioral, speech, occupational, and physical therapies, as well as tympanostomy and orchiopexy. Longitudinal follow-up showed improved communication, motor function, and hearing, with stable neuropathy in Case 1. This report introduces a potentially novel role of DRP2 in ASD, extending its phenotypic spectrum beyond neuropathy, and underscores the need for further cases to define genotype-phenotype heterogeneity. Recognition of this variant is clinically relevant for genetic counseling in consanguineous populations, where risks extend beyond neuropathy to include broader neurodevelopmental outcomes.

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5. Kernahan M, Weber N, Lim A, Young RL. The Understanding of Wrongfulness by Autistic Individuals in the Criminal Justice System. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the impact autism and difficulties with theory of mind (ToM) have on one’s ability to reason about the wrongfulness of criminal behaviour, and whether this relationship was affected when explicit information was given about the intentionality behind, and harmful outcome of a behaviour. It was hypothesised that when intent and harm information were absent, ToM would mediate the autism and reasoning ability relationship. METHOD: The ToM and reasoning ability of 57 non-autistic and 55 autistic adult participants was assessed. To test reasoning ability, participants read criminal scenarios with intent and harm information absent or present and reasoned why the behaviour was or was not ‘wrong’. Their responses were then scored based on the level of information they provided about intent and harm in their reasoning. RESULTS: Overall, autistic participants scored lower on the reasoning task than non-autistic participants. When intent and harm information were absent, evidence for the group difference remained, albeit weaker, and ToM did not mediate this relationship. The gap in reasoning ability between groups was smaller when harm information was included, compared to when it was absent. CONCLUSION: The lower reasoning ability of autistic compared to non-autistic participants suggests that autistic individuals may not consider the intentionality or potential harmfulness when engaging in illegal activity or confronted with wrongful situations. However, if informed about the intent and potential harm, the difficulties in reasoning experienced by autistic people are reduced, suggesting that anticipating the potential outcome of behaviour may not be intuitive for some.

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6. Li Y, Lv S, Liu L, Xue L, Huang H, Xing Y, Ye Q, Zhang F, Deng H. Caregiver Language Input in Different Engagement States During Play Interactions With Toddlers With Autism: An Observational Study. Autism Dev Lang Impair. 2025; 10: 23969415251389128.

Caregiver language input is a key component of children’s early developmental environment, with its nature likely varying based on certain characteristics. This study explored how caregiver language input differed across different engagement states for 12-24-month-old toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; n = 39) or typically developing (TD) toddlers (n = 31) based on their ages and spoken language during the interaction in Chinese contexts. Caregiver language was analyzed during 10-min naturalistic dyadic play interactions, including the mean length of utterances, total frequency of input, functional features (include affect-salient speech, directives, questions, labeling, descriptions, and attention getters), and the integrated proportion of utterances and gestures. Toddlers’ spoken language during the interaction and ages were also assessed. Caregivers of toddlers with ASD employed fewer questions and more attention-getters compared to those of TD toddlers. Caregivers adjusted language input based on toddlers’ engagement states and ages but not spoken language during the interaction. These findings indicate that Chinese caregiver language input is dynamic and context sensitive. The behavioral characteristics of Chinese toddlers with ASD might shape the unique characteristics of such input.

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7. Mahmić-Kaknjo M, Andabaka T, Radić M, Vučić V, Košćak V, Čaić B, Žuža Praštalo M, Veselinović A, Pokimica B, Ristić Medić D, Međaković J, Runjić E, Prevendar T, Jeličić Kadić A, Hrkać A, Čivljak A, Čivljak M, Matić I, Zorčec T, Puljak L. Assessing the reporting quality of educational interventions in trials on caregiver education for children with developmental disabilities using the GREET checklist: a meta-research study. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2025; 25(1): 235.

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8. Manopetchkasem A, Leelataweewud P, Srimaneekarn N, Smutkeeree A. Parental acceptance of behaviour guidance techniques used with Thai autistic patients in dental practice. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2025.

PURPOSE: To evaluate parental acceptance of nine behaviour guidance techniques (BGTs) for Thai autistic patients in dental treatment and to assess the factors associated with this acceptance. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 110 parents of autistic patients using an online questionnaire. The study examined nine BGTs: tell-show-do (TSD), positive reinforcement (PR), distraction (DIS), nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation (NOOI), active restraint by parent (ARBP), active restraint by staff (ARBS), passive restraint by device (PRBD), oral sedation (OS), and general anaesthesia (GA). The questionnaire collected demographic data and measured parental acceptance using a visual analog scale (VAS) from 0 to 100 after participants viewed portraying each BGT in scenarios simulating potentially cooperative autistic patients. Data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test with Bonferroni correction and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: All BGTs received mean VAS score above 60. PR was rated highest, followed by DIS, TSD, PRBD, ARBS, ARBP, GA, OS, and NOOI. Parental acceptance was significantly influenced by previous BGTs experience, past dental experiences, autistic severity level, and parental education level. CONCLUSION: All BGTs evaluated were generally accepted by parents of autistic patients in Thailand. PR was the most accepted technique, whereas NOOI received the lowest acceptance.

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9. Moorthy RS, Hari Krishnan R, Pugazhenthi S. A mechatronic shirt kit to enhance psychomotor and life skills in autistic children: a pilot study. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 36718.

Training autistic children has become a global challenge, as the number of children diagnosed with it is increasing drastically. The conventional therapies to train autistic children have their own limitations. Technology-enabled training kits can be developed to help impart psychomotor skills to these children. Studies have reported that robot or robot-like features attract autistic children. Taking this as a leverage, in this work, a mechatronic kit has been developed to impart psychomotor and cognitive skills that are useful in day-to-day activities, especially when wearing a shirt. The psychomotor skills addressed are pincer grasp, elbow movement and hand-eye coordination, while the cognitive skills addressed are identification of shirt, colour identification and matching. Pilot trials have been conducted with seven autistic children to study how useful the kit is in imparting the targeted skills. The trials consisted of pre-assessment, training, and post-assessment sessions, having 15 tasks spanning over 7 sessions and 68 trials. After the training, from pre-assessment to post-assessment, an improvement of around 80% has been observed in the Daily Life Skills (DLS) of connecting the shirt with velcros and its associated psychomotor skills.

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10. Muthiga M, Mbwayo A, Kang’ethe R, Horn N. Pathways and delays in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in Kenya: a cross-sectional study from tertiary hospitals in Nairobi. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2025; 19(1): 114.

BACKGROUND: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) contributes significantly to the disease burden among children and adolescents. Early diagnosis and intervention significantly improve outcomes; however, in Africa, children and adolescents with ASD are frequently identified and diagnosed late. This has been attributed to long and tortuous pathways to diagnosis. The objective of the study was to document and evaluate the pathways to a diagnosis of ASD, measure the delay in diagnosis, and document factors influencing these. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 70 caregivers of children aged 2-18 years with ASD. The Encounter Form, developed by the World Health Organisation, was used to describe pathways to diagnosis, and structured clinical interviews and assessments were used to determine how children’s clinical factors, caregiver socio-demographic factors, and cultural and contextual factors influence the pathways and delays in diagnosis. ASD was diagnosed by a consultant psychiatrist or paediatrician using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version 5. SPSS version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Correlations between variables were analysed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U tests, and logistic regression models. RESULTS: A mainstream (healthcare) and traditional/spiritual-based pathway was utilized by N = 51 (73%) and N = 19 (27%) caregivers, respectively. The mean age of diagnosis was five years, with a delay of 34.9 ± 33.5 months between caregiver symptom recognition and diagnosis. A median of four points of contact was made with care providers before diagnosis, with special needs teachers serving as the primary referral source. Clinical factors associated with a delay in diagnosis included: echolalia (p = 0.03), delayed walking (p = 0.01), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (p = 0.04), and intellectual developmental disorder (p = 0.02). Conversely, challenges in recognizing, interpreting, and responding to emotional cues (p = 0.03) and « selectiveness in clothing » (p = 0.01) were associated with an earlier diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Despite early recognition of ASD symptoms by caregivers and the predominant use of mainstream healthcare-based pathways, diagnosis was often delayed in this Kenyan sample. Distinct factors associated with the delay in diagnosis were identified, and further research is needed in larger and more diverse groups to facilitate earlier diagnosis and intervention.

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11. Nguyen C, Broersma EH, Warden AS, Mora C, Han CZ, Keulen Z, Spann N, Wang J, Ramirez G, Mak S, Trescott S, Khakpour M, Johnson A, Qureshi F, La Frano MR, Mohajeri K, Talkowski ME, Corradin O, Tremblay M, Glass CK, Coufal NG. Transcriptional and epigenetic targets of MEF2C in human microglia contribute to cellular functions related to autism risk and age-related disease. Nat Immunol. 2025.

MEF2C encodes a transcription factor that is critical in nervous system development. Here, to examine disease-associated functions of MEF2C in human microglia, we profiled microglia differentiated from isogenic MEF2C-haploinsufficient and MEF2C-knockout induced pluripotent stem cell lines. Complementary transcriptomic and functional analyses revealed that loss of MEF2C led to a hyperinflammatory phenotype with broad phagocytic impairment, lipid accumulation, lysosomal dysfunction and elevated basal inflammatory cytokine secretion. Genome-wide profiling of MEF2C-bound sites coupled with the active regulatory landscape enabled inference of its transcriptional functions and potential mechanisms for MEF2C-associated cellular functions. Transcriptomic and epigenetic approaches identified substantial overlap with idiopathic autism datasets, suggesting a broader role of human microglial MEF2C dysregulation in idiopathic autism. In a mouse xenotransplantation model, loss of MEF2C led to morphological, lysosomal and lipid abnormalities in human microglia in vivo. Together, these studies reveal mechanisms by which reduced microglial MEF2C could contribute to the development of neurological diseases.

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12. Sağlam Şahinoğlu Y, Bakırhan H. Holistic approach to Turkish children with autism spectrum disorder: diet quality and diversity, gastrointestinal and nutritional problems and quality of life perspective. BMC Pediatr. 2025; 25(1): 834.

BACKGROUND: Because of behaviors specific to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), children with ASD may have a poor quality of life, and maintain their nutritional and gastrointestinal (GI) health can be quite challenging. This study aimed to holistically examine the diet quality and diversity, quality of life, and nutritional and GI problems in children with ASD and compare their outcomes with healthy peers. METHODS: Nutritional and GI problems were evaluated through a questionnaire according to the parents’ responses. Healthy Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) was used to evaluate diet quality, diet diversity score (DDS) was used to examine the food groups consumed, and Pediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) was used to evaluate the quality of life. RESULTS: A total of 56.0% of children with ASD had a normal body weight for their age, 66.0% had a normal height for their age, and 70.0% had a normal body mass index (BMI) for their age. Various parameters were evaluated for ASD and healthy children, respectively and children with ASD had lower BMI Z scores (ASD = 0.35 ± 0.90, Healthy = 1.03 ± 1.44), lower quality of life (5–7 years ASD = 49.0 ± 5.94, Healthy = 89.0 ± 13.24; 8–12 years ASD = 47.1 ± 7.59, Healthy = 86.9 ± 14.07) and lower diet quality (Healthy = 73.8 ± 3.92, ASD = 71.5 ± 4.11) (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of diet diversity (p > 0.05). Gastrointestinal system problems, food refusal, food neophobia, food obsession and fast eating were seen more frequently in children with ASD compared to healthy children (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, children with ASD were found to have more nutritional and GI problems, a lower quality of life, and poorer diet quality compared to their peers. Growth curves, diet quality and diversity, quality of life, nutrition and GI problems of children with ASD should be carefully monitored and individualized nutrition strategies should be developed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12887-025-06207-1.

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13. Sano M, Hirosawa T, Soma D, Kameya M, Yuasa K, Yasumoto M, Osaka Y, Yoshimura Y, Shiota Y, Tanaka S, Hasegawa C, Kikuchi M. State-dependent changes in peak alpha frequency during visual engagement in children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Front Psychiatry. 2025; 16: 1634384.

Peak alpha frequency (PAF) is a neurophysiological marker of cortical maturation and cognitive function. We aimed to examine PAF reactivity to a visually engaging eyes-open (EO) condition, during which children watched a muted preferred video, compared to a dark-room (DR) resting state without sound, in children with ASD and their TD peers. We analyzed magnetoencephalography data from 68 cortical sources in children aged 5-10 (ASD: n=22; TD: n=29), calculating PAF during a resting-state DR condition and an EO condition involving silent video viewing. Linear mixed-effects models were used to assess the effects of diagnosis, condition, and their interaction on PAF, controlling for age and sex. The results indicated a significant interaction between diagnosis and condition in the right temporal region, where TD children consistently showed a higher PAF in the EO condition relative to the DR condition, whereas children with ASD did not. Furthermore, in TD children, greater PAF reduction in the right temporal region correlated with lower social responsiveness scores, suggesting a link between PAF reactivity and social functioning. These findings suggest that atypical PAF modulation in response to sensory input may reflect altered neural mechanisms underlying social information processing in ASD. Understanding PAF reactivity patterns can inform the development of ASD biomarkers.

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14. Seçer I, Çimen F, Ulaş S, Tatlı E, Saatçı F, Pakiş A. Autism traits and mental well-being: the mediating role of social camouflaging and the moderating role of social exclusion and public stigma. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 36633.

There is a strong relationship between autism and mental health problems. Autistic individuals are more frequently exposed to stigma and social exclusion in social life, which may lead them to engage in socially desirable behaviors to camouflage themselves. Within this framework, the present study aimed to examine the relationship between autism traits and mental well-being, focusing on social camouflaging behaviors in the context of social exclusion and perceived stigma. The study sample consisted of 548 adults across Turkey, including 432 women (78.8%) and 116 men (21.2%). To test the proposed model, Model 4 and Model 21 developed by Hayes were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21 and PROCESS Macro. The findings indicated a negative and significant relationship between autism traits and mental well-being, with social camouflaging mediating this relationship. In addition, the relationship between autism traits and social camouflaging was found to be influenced by social exclusion, while the relationship between social camouflaging and mental well-being was moderated by perceived public stigma. The findings are expected to contribute to broadening perspectives in autism research.

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15. Silva LEH, de Oliveira EBDB. Autism spectrum disorder: communicative profile before and after remote family guidance. Codas. 2025; 37(5): e20240238.

PURPOSE: To compare the communicative profile of children diagnosed with or at risk for autism spectrum disorder before and after speech-language-hearing guidance (indirect treatment). METHODS: The study included caregivers and/or parents of children aged 2 to 9 years with a diagnosis of or at risk for autism spectrum disorder, with or without speech-language-hearing therapy. Before the intervention, caregivers answered the sample characterization form and clinical history. They also sent a 10-minute audio and video recording of interaction between the child and a familiar adult for pragmatic analysis based on the ABFW Child Language Test. The intervention included online guidance meetings with slides and guidance booklets. After the intervention, a new video of child-adult interaction was collected for pragmatic analysis. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant increase in the number of communicative acts per minute, the number of communicative functions used, and the communicative space occupied by the children from before to after the intervention. Most children changed their preferred means of communication and increased the number of responses, although these changes were not statistically significant. After the guidance meetings, most participants reached the age-appropriate number of communicative acts. CONCLUSION: Indirect treatment is a good tool to benefit the pragmatic abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder.

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16. Sohl K, Linstead E, Heinz K, Lledo EE, Brewer Curran A, Mahurin M, Nanclares-Nogués V, Salomon C, Seal M, Taraman S. Integration of an Artificial Intelligence-Based Autism Diagnostic Device into the ECHO Autism Primary Care Workflow: Prospective Observational Study. JMIR Form Res. 2025; 9: e80733.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric specialist shortages and rapidly rising autism prevalence rates have compelled primary care clinicians to consider playing a greater role in the autism diagnostic process. The ECHO Autism: Early Diagnosis Program (EDx) prepares clinicians to screen, evaluate, differentiate, diagnose, and provide longitudinal care for children with autism in primary care settings. Canvas Dx is a prescription-only Software as a Medical Device designed to support clinical diagnosis or rule out of autism, including in primary care settings. It is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration for use, in conjunction with clinical judgment, in 18- to 72-month-olds with indicators of developmental delay. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the feasibility and impact of integrating the device into the ECHO Autism: EDx workflow. Time from the first clinical question of developmental delay to autism diagnosis is the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints explore clinician and caregiver experience of device use. METHODS: Children aged 18 to 72 months with concern for developmental delay indicated by either a caregiver or health professionals were eligible to participate in this prospective observational study. Experienced ECHO Autism: EDx clinicians were recruited to evaluate the inclusion of the device as part of their diagnostic evaluations. Outcome data were collected via a combination of electronic questionnaires, standard clinical care record reviews, and analysis of device outputs. Institutional review board approval was provided by the University of Missouri-Columbia (project number 2075722). RESULTS: Eighty children and 7 clinicians completed the study. On average, time from clinical concern at study enrollment to final autism diagnosis was 39.22 days, compared to 180- to 264-day waits at adjacent specialist referral centers. The vast majority (93%, 50/54) of caregivers reported being satisfied with the ECHO Autism: EDx plus device evaluation their child received and endorsed that they would recommend it to others and that they felt comfortable using the device. The device produced determinate autism predictions or rule-outs for 52.5% of participants, and in all cases, these were consistent with the final clinical determination. Participating clinicians reported that device use was feasible and reduced several challenges associated with their previous diagnostic process; however, they noted it did not obviate the need for additional structured observation in every case. CONCLUSIONS: The ECHO Autism: EDx plus device workflow offers considerable time savings compared to specialty center referral and was strongly endorsed by caregiver participants. Embedding the device into the ECHO Autism: EDx workflow was feasible and helped streamline several workflow efficiencies. Clinicians still utilized their training and application and interpretation of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria when formulating the diagnosis for indeterminate cases.

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17. Soto-Romero DG, Valdez-Montero C, Villa-Rueda AA. [Gender-based analysis of experiences of caregivers for autistic infants based on a gender perspective]. Cien Saude Colet. 2025; 30(suppl 2): e16242023.

Upon receiving the diagnosis of autism, family dynamics are reconfigured based on caregiving, and gender stereotypes and roles become more visible, attributing a greater workload to women in caregiving activities. The objective of this study was to analyze the experiences of primary caregivers related to the care of autistic infants in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, from the perspective of gender as a critical category. This was a qualitative study with a descriptive-analytical and interpretive design, based on the life story as a source of the biographical method. Snowball sampling was used, and semi-structured interviews were applied to 10 primary caregivers. The interviews were coded using Atlas.ti software, and a thematic analysis of the findings was developed. Two themes were identified, the first being the conflicts of the parents regarding the diagnosis, which are generated from the different perceptions they had about motherhood and fatherhood. The second is the reconstruction of maternity and paternity in relation to disability, where overprotection is perceived as an anticipated reaction to the uncertain future of their autistic sons and daughters. The study indicated that it is important to acknowledge care as a practice that should be addressed by social policies.

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18. Wein PY. The definition and measurement of autistic identity when studying eating disorder symptoms. Autism. 2025: 13623613251383347.

While the Bradley et al. paper brought up an interesting question regarding the relationship between autistic identity and eating disorders, there are concerns with the assumptions and design of this study. This article concludes that autistic identity has no connection to potential eating disorder symptom severity. However, the psychometric tool used, the Social Identity Scale, is missing key aspects of autistic identity found in other tools. In addition, the tool used is not validated in autistic adults.Lay AbstractA recent paper by Bradley et al. concluded that there is no relationship between autistic identity and eating disorder symptoms. However, the survey tool used to assess autistic identity of its participants did not include key components needed to arrive at this conclusion. Variations of autistic identity that would need to be considered are manifold. Some of these facets to consider in a survey assessing autistic identity would be whether or not autism is a source of pride, traits are thought to be steadfast or changeable, stigma is felt, and whether they should perform camouflaging behavior. This is important because eating disorder symptoms can be affected by these differences. For example, changeability and autistic pride have been thought to affect eating disorder symptoms. This research can be accomplished through other psychometrically validated surveys such as the Autism Spectrum Identity Scale, which include these features in the survey development. So, the Autism Spectrum Identity Scale or like measure would need to be used before reaching the conclusion of this recent Bradley et al. paper. In addition, the Social Identity Scale used in the Bradley et al. paper has not been validated in an autistic adult sample, which makes it not the ideal survey for the research question as well.

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19. Wolfer P, Baumeister F, Borrellas EV, Czypionka A, Naigles LR, Durrleman S. Does Balance of Multilingual Exposure Impact Gesture Comprehension in Autistic Children?. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2025: 1-16.

PURPOSE: This study explores whether and how balance of multilingual exposure (BME) impacts gesture comprehension in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD: Eighty-six autistic children (aged 4-12 years) varying in their balance of exposure to different languages completed a gamified task assessing the comprehension of deictic, iconic, and conventional gestures presented in four communicative modalities: (a) gesture presented alone (e.g., gesturing DRIVE), (b) with reinforcing speech (e.g., gesturing DRIVE and saying « driving »), (c) with supplementing speech (e.g., gesturing DRIVE and saying « lady »), compared to (d) speech alone (e.g., saying « driving »). A BME score reflected the participants’ balance of exposure to more than one language since birth, based on parental reports. RESULTS: Overall, children with ASD performed well on the task (i.e., above chance level). Accounting for age, biological sex, socioeconomic status, autism severity, nonverbal IQ and general language skills, mixed-effects logistic regressions showed no differential effect of BME on the comprehension of deictic, iconic, and conventional gestures. Age and language skills were significant independent positive predictors of the performance, highlighting the maturating process of gesture comprehension over time on the one hand, and reflecting the importance of language for gesture comprehension on the other. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study paves the way for future research exploring the impact of multilingualism on the gesture comprehension abilities of individuals with ASD and provides new evidence suggesting that multilingual exposure is not detrimental to their communicative development.

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