1. CORRIGENDUM to « Feasibility of OT-Parentship: An intervention for parents of adolescents with autism ». Br J Occup Ther. 2026; 89(1): 64.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1177/03080226241229298.].

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2. Aarthi D, Kannimuthu S. Hybrid deep learning model for autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 44707.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition pertaining to the communication, social connectivity and conduct of individuals. ASD individuals develop symptoms such as recurrent actions, atypical facial expressions and challenges in social engagement. ASD prediction depends on various measures such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data, game-based assessments, kinematic traits, questionnaires, head activity analysis, motor activities and eye-tracking. Traditional diagnostic approaches are subjective. These approaches are clinician-dependent and time-consuming. This has resulted in various challenges for the early detection of the condition. This work evaluated the performance of five hybrid approaches such as MobileNetV2+BiLSTM, ResNet50+LSTM, EfficientNetB4, InceptionV3 and MobileNetV2+GRU. Each model was meticulously refined to achieve optimal performance on the facial image dataset obtained from the Kaggle repository. The hybrid MobileNetV2+GRU model showed high performance with 95.5% test accuracy, 95.94% precision, and 95.45% F1-score. When the suggested hybrid model was compared with the remaining models, the latter outperformed with a ROC value of 98%. The findings highlight the optimal performance and generalizability of the proposed MobileNetV2+GRU model in ASD diagnosis in children.

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3. Ahmmad MR, Khan MTF, Kothiya SH, Rashid M, McCrae C. Sleep pattern consistency and autism spectrum disorder in U.S. children: Associations and identification of high-risk subgroups. Res Dev Disabil. 2025; 168: 105201.

BACKGROUND: Sleep behavior is closely linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and may influence behavioral and neurological development. This study examined the association between sleep pattern consistency (SPC) and ASD among children aged 6-17 years. METHODS: This study used data from 63,866 children from the 2022-2023 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH). ASD status was based on parent-reported provider diagnoses. SPC was constructed from sleep duration and bedtime regularity. Associations between SPC and ASD were examined using relative risks and multivariable logistic regression. Machine learning methods predicted individualized ASD profiles and identified high-risk subgroups. Model performance was evaluated using discrimination and calibration metrics. RESULTS: The cohort showed 4.41 % ASD prevalence, mean age 11.9 years, 51.8 % male, 62.4 % healthy weight, 28.9 % poor sleep routines, 28.8 % lower income, 40.5 % co-occurring disorders, and 42.4 % with medication. Children with poor sleep routines (PSR) demonstrated a significantly higher likelihood of ASD (aOR: 1.92; 95 % CI: 1.64-2.25), whereas long sleep with regularity (LSR) was associated with a lower likelihood (aOR: 0.81; 95 % CI: 0.70-0.94). Other correlated factors included male sex (aOR: 3.83, p < 0.001), underweight (aOR: 1.28, p < 0.001), and overweight (aOR: 1.39, p < 0.001). Among female children from low-income households with co-occurring conditions, PSR patterns were associated with higher predicted ASD probability (∼12 %, p = 0.002), whereas healthy sleep routine (HSR) showed substantially lower predicted probabilities. CONCLUSION: SPC was significantly associated with ASD. These findings highlight the potential relevance of sleep health in relation to developmental outcomes and ASD screening, particularly among higher-risk subgroups.

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4. Alecu S, Onea GA. Evaluating an Eight-Week Therapeutic Swimming Program in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Study from Romania. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Background/Objectives: In Romania, therapeutic program programs for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) focus mainly on behavioral and educational approaches, with limited integration of adapted physical activity (APA). Therapeutic swimming may provide complementary benefits, addressing both physical and psychosocial challenges. This study explored parent-perceived changes across an adapted therapeutic swimming program, following ABA therapy, on the well-being, learning, attention, physical activity, and social functioning of children with ASD. A custom-developed parent-report tool (PPQ-Autism-Swim) was used to measure perceived changes across key developmental domains. Methods: Thirty-nine children with ASD were recruited, of whom 36 completed the full 8-week swimming intervention. Parent-report questionnaires, developed by behavioral therapists under the supervision of a clinical psychologist, were administered at three time points: 8 weeks before swimming (T – 8), immediately before swimming after Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy (T0), and 8 weeks after swimming (T + 8). The questionnaire assessed five subscales: general well-being, physical activity and energy, attention and focus, learning and cognitive progress, and self-confidence and social behaviors. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, repeated-measures ANOVA, and thematic analysis of qualitative parental feedback. ABA therapy served as a behavioral baseline, allowing comparison with subsequent gains from swimming. Results: Parents reported higher scores across time points, suggesting perceived changes in several domains. From T – 8 to T0, moderate gains followed ABA therapy, while from T0 to T + 8, therapeutic swimming was associated with improvements. At T + 8, 35 of 36 children showed measurable progress, particularly in physical activity regulation and self-confidence. Parental feedback emphasized calmer behavior, improved sleep, increased social interaction, and greater pride in new skills. Reliability testing indicated good to excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.78-0.91). Conclusions: Therapeutic swimming appears to be an effective and motivating form of adapted physical education, complementing behavioral therapies and addressing multiple developmental challenges in children with ASD.

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5. Alshammeri M, Ahmad Z, Humayun M, Alamri M. Explainable Cluster-Based Predictive Framework for Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Behavioral Biomarkers. Diagnostics (Basel). 2025; 15(24).

Background/Objectives: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a multifaceted neuropsychiatric condition characterized by early behavioral irregularities that often precede formal diagnosis. Timely and precise detection remains a major clinical challenge due to the complexity of behavioral manifestations and the limited accessibility of diagnostic resources. Methods: In this study, we present an explainable machine learning framework for the early diagnosis of ASD using behavioral biomarkers derived from toddler screening data. The framework integrates unsupervised learning (DBSCAN and K-means clustering) to identify latent behavioral patterns, followed by predictive modeling using logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM). To ensure transparency and clinical interpretability, a SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis is employed to quantify the contribution of each behavioral feature to the model’s predictions. Results: Experimental evaluations reveal that the RF model achieves the highest accuracy (98.85%), followed by SVM (97.70%) and LR (90.53%). The explainability results highlight meaningful and clinically relevant behavioral indicators associated with ASD risk. Conclusions: The proposed framework not only enhances diagnostic accuracy but also promotes interpretable AI for real-world integration into neuropsychiatric assessment pipelines.

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6. Anderson L, Gladfelter A, Buac M, Cheung WC, Wang Z, Onal S. Relationships Between Cultural Factors and Motor Abilities in Autistic and Non-Autistic Children. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Autism and motor abilities have been found to be closely related. Culture affects motor development as well as various diagnostic criteria for an autism diagnosis, yet cultural factors are rarely considered in research and in clinical diagnostics. This study explored the relationship between cultural factors, characteristics of autism, and balance abilities in autistic (n = 16) and non-autistic (n = 28) children by utilizing a demographic survey, the Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd edition (SRS-2), and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) Balance subtest. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze whether the relationship between autism characteristics and balance abilities still stands when cultural factors are considered, and to determine which cultural factors moderate the relationship. Moderation analyses with Holm-Bonferroni correction tested whether cultural factors altered the strength of the SRS-2 and MABC-2 balance association. The results of this study were consistent with previous research in that there is still a strong relationship between autism and balance abilities even when cultural factors are considered. The results further indicated that, in addition to autistic characteristics, age, gender/sex, and ethnic origin were statistically significant contributors to the multiple linear regression model. No significant moderation effects were detected, indicating consistency of the autism-balance relationship across cultural groups examined. In conclusion, cultural factors must be considered in autism research, as well as in the development and implementation of diagnostic and treatment protocols for autistic children.

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7. Bailes AF, Donovan J, Weisshaar R, Austing E, Kreimer J, Strenk ML. Describing Physical Therapy Services Delivered to Children With Autism in the Outpatient Medical Setting. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2026; 38(1): 41-8.

PURPOSE: To describe physical therapy dose (frequency, intensity, time, type) delivered to individuals with autism at an outpatient pediatric medical center in 1 year. METHODS: Retrospective electronic medical record data were collected. Physical therapists document session details in a standardized flowsheet that includes child effort (intensity) on a 0 to 6 Likert scale, minutes (time) addressing 7 focus areas, and interventions (type) from 11 categories. RESULTS: Two hundred ninety-one individuals with autism received 1356 sessions (median 2, IQR: 1-6). Child effort was distributed normally. Most of the time was spent in the pre-functional, gross motor developmental, and gait focus areas. Most intervention types delivered were in the education, musculoskeletal, and neuromuscular categories. Therapists infrequently administered standardized measures to assess motor delays or provided physical activity interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are relevant to educators and administrators in determining the resources needed for serving individuals with autism. Future studies examining PT services are warranted.

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8. Balaum R, Elbedour L, Alhozyel E, Meiri G, Zigdon D, Michaelovski A, Kerub O, Menashe I. Head Growth Trajectories During the First Year of Life and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Res. 2025.

Atypical infant head circumference (HC)-including increased rates of macrocephaly and microcephaly-has been linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, specific head growth trajectories associated with ASD remain poorly defined. This retrospective case-control study aimed to delineate these trajectories and examine their relationship to height. The study sample included 262 children diagnosed with ASD and 560 matched controls. Growth measures at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, and 12 months of age were obtained from health clinics in southern Israel. The sample was classified into seven clusters based on HC patterns across these six time points, and associations with ASD were estimated using conditional logistic regression. Results demonstrated significant correlations between HC and height throughout the study period (Pearson correlation r = 0.44-0.55, p < 0.001), with stronger correlations in ASD (r = 0.50-0.67) compared to controls (r = 0.32-0.50). Children with consistently small or large HC exhibited the highest ASD likelihood (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.95, 95% CI = 1.88-4.94; and aOR = 3.17, 95% CI = 1.92-5.01, respectively), with the most extreme percentiles (0-5th and 95th-100th) showing the strongest associations (aOR = 9.53, 95% CI = 2.49-35.26; aOR = 6.51, 95% CI = 2.91-15.35, respectively). These associations were primarily driven by children with similar height trajectories (aOR = 7.71, 95% CI = 3.23-15.43; and aOR = 6.89, 95% CI = 2.99-13.26, respectively), indicating that atypical HC growth in ASD during infancy may reflect broader physiological growth dysregulation. This study explored the link between head size and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in infants. Head and height growth of 262 children with ASD and 560 children without ASD were examined, using data collected from health clinics in southern Israel. We grouped infants based on their growth patterns during the first year of life and found that children with head sizes at the low or high end of the growth chart were more likely to have ASD, especially when their height followed the same pattern. These results suggest that unusual head growth may be part of an overall growth difference in some infants with ASD. eng.

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9. Benedicto-Rodríguez G, Hongn A, Juan CG, Garrigós-Guerrero J, Bonomini MP, Fernandez-Jover E, Ferrández-Vicente JM. Physiological Response in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) During Social Robot Interaction. Int J Neural Syst. 2025; 35(13): 2550066.

In a world where social interaction presents challenges for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), robots are stepping in as allies in emotional learning. This study examined how affective interactions with a humanoid robot elicited physiological responses in children with ASD, using electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV) as key indicators of emotional arousal. The objectives were to identify emotionally salient moments during human-robot interaction, assess whether certain individual characteristics – such as age or ASD severity – modulate autonomic responses, and evaluate the usefulness of wearable devices for real-time monitoring. Thirteen children participated in structured sessions involving a range of social, cognitive, and motor tasks alongside the robot Pepper. The results showed that the hugging phase (HS2) often generated greater autonomic reactivity in children, especially among younger children and those with higher levels of restlessness or a higher level of ASD. Children with level 2 ASD displayed higher sympathetic activation compared to level 1 participants, who showed more HRV stability. Age also played a role, as younger children demonstrated lower autonomic regulation. These findings highlight the relevance of physiological monitoring in detecting emotional dysregulation and tailoring robot-assisted therapy. Future developments will explore adaptive systems capable of adjusting interventions in real time to better support each child’s unique needs.

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10. Blair KC, Park EY, Risse MR. A Meta-Analysis of Functional Communication Training for Young Children with ASD and Challenging Behavior in Natural Settings. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

This meta-analysis synthesized 34 published single-case design studies on functional communication training (FCT) for young children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A systematic search of electronic databases and reference lists identified studies published between 1996 and 2021 involving 79 children with ASD aged 2 to 8. Quality evaluation using What Works Clearinghouse standards revealed that only 29.4% of studies met standards with or without reservations, primarily due to insufficient data points per phase. Most studies were conducted in home or school settings with therapists/researchers as primary implementers, followed by parents or caregivers. Low reporting rates were found for preference assessment, treatment fidelity, social validity, and maintenance and generalization effects. Overall, FCT demonstrated large effects for reducing challenging behavior (Tau-BC = 0.97) and moderate-to-large effects for increasing replacement behavior (Tau-BC = 0.78). Moderator analyses revealed significantly larger effect sizes in school versus home settings (p < 0.05). These findings further support FCT as an evidence-based practice for young children with ASD, although methodological rigor must be improved. Future research should systematically evaluate maintenance and generalization effects, develop effective parent training and support strategies, and report intervention dosage parameters to strengthen the evidence base and guide clinical implementation.

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11. Brahim T, Gaddour N, Abid HB, Bouslah S, Guedria A. Patterns of early exposure to screens by children with ASD. Discov Ment Health. 2025; 5(1): 211.

AIM: To further explore and discuss the characteristics of exposure to screens in Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Tunisian context. METHODS: This case control study explored the exposure to TV in 150 children with ASD, aged 1 to 4 years old in comparison to a comparable group of 150 typically developing children. RESULTS: Results showed Significant differences were observed between groups regarding the age of television viewing onset (4 vs. 14 months) and daily viewing duration (7 h vs. <1 h). Children with ASD predominantly viewed television alone, showing preference for repetitive content such as music videos, with viewing occurring throughout the day. Television exposure served as both a child-occupying strategy and a parental soothing technique, and was associated with increased autistic symptomatology. CONCLUSION: While acknowledging methodological limitations, this study suggests that the impact of early intensive screen exposure warrants further investigation in ASD populations.

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12. Bullen JC, Lerro LS, Hesse T, Zajic MC, McIntyre N, Mundy P. Sensory Processing Modalities and Their Associations With Academic Achievement in Autism and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

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13. Chahboun S, Sullivan B, Saldaña D, Vulchanova M, Micai M. Windows to the Social Mind: What Eye-Tracking Reveals About Theory of Mind in Children and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Human social life is dependent on the ability of individuals to understand other people as separate cognitive agents, capable of thought independent from themselves. This understanding and the attribution of mental states to others, often called Theory of Mind (ToM), is a naturally developing ability. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) seem to experience difficulty in attributing mental states to others, and this may explain impaired social interaction and communication behaviors. The Frith-Happé animations are short videos designed to test ToM development by varying the degree of intentionality present and asking viewers to describe their interpretation. The present study recorded eye movements and verbal descriptions in 15 children and 23 young adults with ASD and 20 and 15 typically developing (TD) peers, respectively. The results showed eye movement patterns in ASD and TD children did not differ significantly, but both groups differed from adults in their verbal responses. Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) produced shorter (F(1,60) = 5.8, p = 0.019) and less appropriate (F(1,60) = 4.4, p = 0.04) ToM descriptions than TD peers, although their eye movement patterns were comparable to those of TD children. While low-level visual processing may be intact in individuals with ASD, challenges with social cognition and verbal expression may remain.

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14. Chen C, Yang Z, Guo J, Liu Y, Yang X, Deng W, Yu H, Yang S. Causal genetic link between gut microbiome, metabolites, and autism spectrum disorder in a European cohort. Medicine (Baltimore). 2025; 104(52): e46526.

Recent studies have illuminated a significant relationship between the gut microbiota and the development and progression of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), mediated through the complex gut-brain axis, where metabolic pathways are crucial. Nevertheless, the exact causal link remains to be elucidated. This study aims to assess the potential causal relationship between the gut microbiota, metabolites, and ASD, utilizing Mendelian randomization methodology. The exposure variable of gut microbiota was ascertained using instrumental variables derived from a genome-wide association study that included a cohort of 18,340 individuals. The outcome variable comprised genome-wide association study data from 14,759 individuals diagnosed with ASD and 1,55,327 controls. The primary method of analysis was the inverse-variance weighted method. Multivariable multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the impact of gut microbial metabolites on the established correlations. Inverse-variance weighted analyses revealed that Methanobacteria[c] (odds ratio [OR] = 1.17 [1.03-1.33]), Methanobacteriaceae[f] (OR = 1.17 [1.03-1.33]), Prevotellaceae[f] (OR = 1.29 [1.04-1.60]), Holdemania[g] (OR = 1.23 [1.03-1.45]), Lachnospiraceae[g] (OR = 1.29 [1.06-1.57]), Ruminiclostridium[g] (OR = 1.63 [1.27-2.10]), Terrisporobacter[g] (OR = 1.28 [1.00-1.63]), Methanobacteriales[o] (OR = 1.17 [1.03-1.33]), and Euryarchaeota[p] (OR = 1.16 [1.02-1.32]) serve as risk factors for ASD, while Eisenbergiella[g] (OR = 0.80 [0.68-0.94]) and Ruminococcaceae[g] (OR = 0.79 [0.63-1.00]) exhibit protective roles against ASD. Adjustments for neurotransmitter and amino acid metabolites effects diminished these associations. However, Prevotellaceae and Lachnospiraceae remained significantly associated with increased ASD risk. Reverse Mendelian randomization analyses did not establish a causal relationship between ASD and gut microbiota composition. Sensitivity tests showed no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy. Alterations in metabolites induced by the gut microbiota may contribute to ASD susceptibility. Prevotellaceae and Lachnospiraceae are implicated as potential risk factors. Investigating these associations further could unveil novel therapeutic targets and provide deeper insights into ASD’s etiological mechanisms.

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15. Chericoni N, Colombino I, Conti E, Guainai G, Riva B, Qu L, Apicella F, Calderoni S, Tancredi R, Guzzetta A, Colombi C. Feasibility of an Evidence-Based Parent-Mediated Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Community Healthcare Service in Italy. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Background/Objectives: Parental involvement is currently recommended by Italian national guidelines on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) intervention. However, research on the impact of parent-mediated interventions on parental skills and children’s outcomes in Italy is limited. This study evaluated the feasibility of delivering Parent-ESDM (Parent-mediated Early Start Denver Model), a well-supported Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention (NDBI) known to benefit parents’ well-being and children’s development, within an Italian healthcare service. Methods: Twenty parent-child dyads participated in weekly 1 h Parent-ESDM sessions for 6 months. Spontaneous parent-child interactions were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention to examine parents’ use of NDBI strategies and changes in children’s core ASD behaviors. Results: Throughout the intervention, parents acquired a good level of fidelity in the use of NDBI strategies and children obtained significant improvements in core ASD behaviors. Conclusions: These preliminary findings support the feasibility of delivering a parent-mediated intervention within an Italian healthcare service. The positive trends observed provide a strong rationale for conducting controlled trials to more definitively evaluate this model and its potential adoption as a future standard practice.

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16. Ciric T, White LC, Allison-Duncan C, Maloney E, Gillespie-Smith K. ‘It’s quite difficult to put Autistic relationships in a box’: A qualitative exploration of romantic relationships in gender and sexually diverse Autistic adults. Autism. 2025: 13623613251407765.

Autistic people enjoy friendships and sexual and romantic relationships. Many Autistic people are also part of a gender or sexual minority, yet gender and sexual minorities are often under-represented in autism research. The current study asked, ‘How do gender and sexually diverse Autistic adults experience and perceive romantic relationships?’ Sixteen gender and/or sexual minority Autistic adults took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identified from the interview data: (1) ‘It’s Quite Difficult to Put Autistic Relationships Into a Box’, (2) Challenging Social Norms, (3) The Perks and Perils of Online Dating and (4) Understanding and Neurotype. Overall, participants described their relationships as individual, inherently valuable and shaped by unique preferences, mutual understanding and explicit communication. They also emphasized the fluidity between friendships and romantic partnerships, the importance of mutual understanding and the inherent value of rejecting prescriptive social norms in favour of individualized romantic relationship dynamics. These findings highlight relationship structures in Autistic groups who identify as gender and/or sexual minority.Lay abstractAutistic people enjoy friendships and sexual and romantic relationships. A proportion of the Autistic community identify as being a part of a gender and sexual minority (e.g., trans, non-binary, gay, lesbian, etc.), yet this group is often under-represented in autism research. The current study focused on this group specifically and asked them, ‘How do gender and sexually diverse Autistic adults experience and perceive romantic relationships?’ Sixteen gender and/or sexual minority Autistic adults took part in interviews. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were identified from the interview data: (1) ‘It’s Quite Difficult to Put Autistic Relationships Into a Box’, (2) Challenging Social Norms, (3) The Perks and Perils of Online Dating and (4) Understanding and Neurotype. The participants described their relationships as individual, valuable and shaped by unique preferences, mutual understanding and clear communication. They also talked about how the lines between friendships and romantic partnerships can be blurred, for example, sometimes they have sex with their friends and don’t see this as an activity exclusively for romantic relationships. They also mentioned the importance of mutual understanding and the inherent value of rejecting social norms in favour of more individualized romantic relationships.

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17. Ding Y, Li Z, Zou Y, Dong X. A DeepSeek cross-modal platform for personalized art education in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 44800.

Educational inequity in arts learning disproportionately marginalizes students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who require structured, predictable environments for aesthetic development and sensory regulation that traditional pedagogies fail to provide. This study introduces an AI-powered e-learning platform that addresses these systematic barriers through intelligent cross-modal integration, democratizing access to personalized art education for neurodivergent learners. Our DeepSeek-based system transforms visual art features into structured musical accompaniments that accommodate individual sensory processing patterns, cultural backgrounds, and neurodevelopmental profiles while maintaining the predictability essential for ASD learning success. The platform employs enhanced ResNet-50 architecture, high-dimensional manifold mapping, and conditional generation models specifically optimized for sensory regulation principles. Comprehensive evaluation with 203 participants (including 53 neurodivergent learners) and 19 autism education specialists demonstrates substantial improvements: sensory comfort ratings of 4.6/5, learning satisfaction of 4.3/5, and educational outcomes showing 20.5% NAEP score improvements compared to 8.2% for traditional methods (p < 0.008). Technical performance achieved superior cross-modal consistency (MSE 0.05, PCC 0.92) with 89% accommodation success across diverse sensory profiles. This research offers a promising model for inclusive digital education by demonstrating how AI can contribute to mitigating educational inequities for neurodivergent populations. It provides a scalable framework that advances accessible arts education, embracing neurodiversity while maintaining academic rigor.

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18. Ehteshami S, Pashmdarfard M, Mirzakhani Araghi N. Translation and psychometric properties of the autism screening instrument for educational planning 3 in Persian (Farsi). Br J Occup Ther. 2026; 89(1): 46-53.

INTRODUCTION: Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder that restricts participation in normal life activities. A critical challenge is the early identification and intervention of children with autism spectrum disorder, which is essential for enhancing the quality of life. This study aimed to translate and establish the reliability and validity of the autism screening instrument for educational planning 3 for children with autism spectrum disorder. METHOD: The participants were 60 children aged 2-13 years and 11 months with autism spectrum disorder. Face validity, content validity (CVR/CVI), convergent validity with the GARS2, internal consistency, test-retest, intra-rater, and inter-rater reliability of the Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning 3 were measured. RESULTS: The impact score was above 1.5 for the face validity. The CVI score was higher than 0.79, and the CVR score exceeded 0.31. The correlation between the Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning 3 and the GARS2 sections was all above r = 0.70. For the Autism Behavior Checklist, the internal consistency was 82.2, p < 0.05, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.91, for all sections of the ASIEP-3, The intra-rater and inter-rater reliability were above 0.79 (ICC >0.70). CONCLUSION: Autism Screening Instrument for Educational Planning 3 has good psychometric properties for children aged 2-13 years and 11 months with ASD and can be utilized in clinical practice.

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19. Fluegge K, Fluegge K. Comment on Chu et al. Acetaminophen’s Role in Autism and ADHD: A Mitochondrial Perspective. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26, 8585. Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(24).

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now linked acetaminophen use in pregnancy to risk of offspring autism and has recommended leucovorin as a possible therapeutic for ASD […].

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20. Goel A, Razak KA, Chubykin AA, Antoine MW. Dysfunctional neural dynamics associated with sensory phenotypes in Fragile X syndrome: insights from mouse models. J Neurodev Disord. 2025; 17(1): 74.

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), the leading known inherited cause of atypical behaviors associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), arises due to the reduced expression or absence of the Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMRP). Individuals with ASD and FXS often experience atypical sensory processing across modalities such as touch, hearing, and/or vision. The consequences of altered sensory processing can be debilitating, leading to impairments in sensory discrimination and an inability to filter out irrelevant sensory stimuli such as innocuous sounds, smells, sights, or touches. Currently, there is a significant knowledge gap in the field of FXS regarding the circuit mechanisms that drive atypical sensory processing and how these contribute to hypersensitivity and secondary effects, such as learning impairments and increased anxiety. Animal models of FXS mirror many of the sensory hypersensitivity issues observed in humans, exhibiting heightened anxiety, as well as learning and social impairments. Here, we discuss the dysfunctional neural dynamics underlying atypical sensory processing across modalities in FXS, potential therapeutic interventions targeting specific ion channels, receptors, and circuits, and propose future research directions that could pave the way for circuit-targeted therapies.

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21. Hacohen M, Levy A, Kaiser H, Green Snyder L, Amatya A, Gundersen BB, Spiro JE, Dinstein I. An open science resource for accelerating scalable digital health research in autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions. Nat Neurosci. 2025.

The Simons Sleep Project (SSP) is an open-science resource designed to accelerate digital health research into sleep and daily behaviors of autistic children. The SSP contains data from Dreem3 EEG headbands, multi-sensor EmbracePlus smartwatches and Withings’ sleep mats, as well as parent questionnaires and daily sleep diaries. It contains data from >3,600 days and nights collected from 102 children (aged 10-17 years) with idiopathic autism and 98 of their nonautistic siblings, and enables access to whole-exome sequencing for all participants. Here we present the breadth of available harmonized data and show that digital devices have higher accuracy and reliability compared to parent reports. The data show that autistic children have longer sleep-onset latencies than their siblings and longer latencies are associated with behavioral difficulties in all participants, regardless of diagnosis. The results highlight the advantages of using digital devices and demonstrate the opportunities afforded by the SSP to study autism and develop broad digital phenotyping techniques.

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22. Hopkins K, Davis-Cheshire R. Perceived impact of autism assistance service dog partnership on occupational participation in children with autism. Disabil Rehabil Assist Technol. 2025: 1-16.

A cross-sectional online survey design was used to illuminate caregivers’ perceived impact of an autism assistant service dog (AASD) partnership on the occupations of their child with autism spectrum disorder. The nine categories of occupation as outlined in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process Fourth Edition (OTPF-4) informed this study and include: activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, health management, rest and sleep, education, work, play, leisure, and social participation (AOTA [1], p.7). Participants included 54 caregivers of children with autism that have been partnered with an AASD. Results indicated the occupations perceived to be most strongly and positively impacted were emotional and mental health management (75.5%, n = 40), social engagement with community (75.5%, n = 40), shopping (69.2%, n = 36), medical appointments (63.5%, n = 33), sleep preparation (60.4%, n = 32), care of pets (59.3%, n = 32) and safety awareness (59.3%, n = 32). When determining referrals for AASDs, practitioners should determine if deficits exist in one or more of these pertinent occupations as they are the ones most likely to be positively impacted. In addition, across all occupational categories, with few exceptions, occupational impacts of the AASD were reported as neutral to strongly positive. Finally, based on the positive occupational impacts, occupational therapists and other health professionals should consider integrating the use of AASDs during intervention to enhance outcomes. The AASD partnership appears to be an effective form of assistive technology to increase occupational participation of children with autism.Emotional/mental health management, social engagement with the community, shopping, medical appointments, sleep preparation, safety/safety awareness and care of pets were the occupations perceived to be most strongly and positively impacted by the presence of an AASD.Occupational therapy practitioners and other rehabilitation professionals when possible should consider integrating AASDs into their intervention approaches to potentially enhance outcomes. eng.

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23. Jachyra P, Van Damme T, Healy S, Stubbs B, Zhou C, Fabiano N. Physical Activity for Autistic Children and Adolescents: Key Considerations to Support Participation and Future Directions. J Phys Act Health. 2025: 1-4.

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24. Jiang D, Ni P, He J. Both Self-Other Distinction and Overlap Enhance Visual Perspective-Taking in Children With Autism Spectrum Conditions. J Autism Dev Disord. 2025.

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25. Jiang Y, Liu H, Wang Y, Hu X. The Effects of Behavioral Relaxation Training on Academic Task Completion Among Students with Autism in Inclusive Classrooms: A Single-Subject Design Study. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

To help students with autism reach their potential, high-quality inclusive education emphasizes the importance of their full participation in school and classroom activities. Academic anxiety, however, can interfere with students’ ability to follow instructions and, thereby, negatively affect their performance. We used a concurrent multiple-probe across tasks design within a single-subject research framework to coach students with autism in inclusive settings on relaxation behaviors to reduce their tension and increase their ability to complete tasks in Chinese literacy, mathematics, and English. Results indicated that behavioral relaxation training (BRT) produced positive effects on both behavioral and physiological outcomes and significantly improved academic task completion. Behavior changes stayed at a high level during the maintenance phase. In interviews, both caregivers and students reported positive attitudes toward the intervention, expressed strong acceptance of procedures, and confirmed that relaxation strategies facilitated assignment completion. Study limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.

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26. Jin S, Xu S, Zhao Y, Huang H, Zhu H, Zhou C. Effectiveness of Social Problem-Solving Interventions for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Social problem-solving (SPS) is a core component of social-emotional learning (SEL) that integrates cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes essential for adaptive social functioning. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often experience persistent difficulties in these domains, highlighting the need for effective interventions. This meta-analysis quantitatively synthesized evidence on the effectiveness of SPS interventions for children with ASD. Nineteen group-design studies involving 741 participants met inclusion criteria. Using random-effects models, the pooled results revealed a significant, moderate overall effect on SPS competence (Cohen’s d = 0.53, 95% CI [0.15, 1.01], p < 0.05). Subgroup analyses further indicated that teacher-led and school-based implementations produced stronger effects than researcher-led interventions in non-school contexts, underscoring the importance of ecological validity. SPS interventions also generated moderate-to-large improvements in related SEL domains, including social skills, emotion recognition, theory of mind, and executive function. These findings support SPS as a pivotal mechanism for promoting social-emotional development in children with ASD. Future research should employ more rigorous designs, report implementation fidelity, and examine the sustainability of teacher-led interventions within naturalistic school settings.

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27. Jorquera Tobar N, Jara Mella V, Wachholtz Martorell D, Valdés-Thomas S, Vidal Velasco V, Farías Vargas E, Wiedeman AM, Vizcarra Catalán M. Feeding Management in Autistic Children During Early Childhood: A Scoping Review. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Autistic children often experience eating difficulties due to sensory processing, food selectivity, and other eating behaviors. As a result, the feeding process can be particularly challenging for caregivers and professionals in healthcare and educational settings. This scoping review describes interventions that address feeding difficulties, focused on improving food acceptance and reducing challenging eating-related behavior in autistic children under 6 years. The review was conducted and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. We searched the PubMed, Web of Science (WOS), and PsycINFO databases, as well as manually examined reference lists, to identify relevant articles. Nineteen studies were selected by two independent reviewers for inclusion in the review. Among the selected studies, a variety of effective feeding strategies were categorized into three groups: applied behavior analysis (ABA)-based interventions, a combination of ABA-based strategies with others, and emerging strategies beyond ABA. These interventions have been reported to increase the acceptance of foods and reduce challenging mealtime behaviors of autistic children. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive interventions to improve the quality of life of autistic children, their families, and their communities.

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28. Kaur M, Heilferty B. Commentary on « Describing Physical Therapy Services Delivered to Autistic Children in the Outpatient Medical Setting ». Pediatr Phys Ther. 2026; 38(1): 49.

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29. Lee J, Ahn A, Yoo J, Lee S. Clinical and Molecular Spectrum of PPP2R1A-Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Systematic Review. Genes (Basel). 2025; 16(12).

Background/Objectives: PPP2R1A encodes the scaffold subunit Aα of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Pathogenic variants cause Houge-Janssens syndrome 2, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, epilepsy, and brain malformations. We systematically reviewed published cases to define the clinical spectrum, characterize the mutational landscape, and explore genotype-phenotype correlations. Methods: We conducted systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to March 2025, supplemented by GeneReviews and OMIM references. Studies reporting PPP2R1A variants with clinical data were included. Data extraction followed PRISMA guidelines, encompassing study characteristics, genetic findings, and phenotypic features. Results: We identified 16 studies representing 60 patients with PPP2R1A-related disorders. Twenty-six distinct pathogenic variants were identified; these were predominantly de novo heterozygous missense changes clustering within HEAT repeats 5-7. Recurrent hotspots included p.Arg182Trp (n = 12) and p.Arg183Gln (n = 5). Developmental delay and intellectual disability were universally present in all patients for whom data were available (100%, 58/58). Epilepsy occurred in 50.9% (29/57), and structural brain abnormalities in 83.1% (49/59), with corpus callosum abnormalities (40.7%, 24/59) and ventriculomegaly (32.2%, 19/59) being most frequent. Microcephaly was reported in 17.2% (10/58) and macrocephaly in 25.9% (15/58), while dysmorphic features were present in 53.4% (31/58). The phenotypic spectrum ranged from severe neonatal presentations with high mortality to milder neurodevelopmental courses, with prenatal manifestations including ventriculomegaly, corpus callosum abnormalities, and rare cardiac defects. Clear genotype-phenotype correlations emerged, with HEAT5 variants (p.Arg182Trp, p.Arg183Gln) associated with severe phenotypes and increased mortality, while p.Arg258His variants demonstrated comparatively milder courses. Conclusions: PPP2R1A-related disorders encompass a broad clinical spectrum ranging from lethal neonatal disease to survivable forms with variable neurodevelopmental outcomes. Prenatal features including ventriculomegaly and corpus callosum abnormalities enable early genetic diagnosis, informing reproductive counseling. Recognition of recurrent hotspot variants and their phenotype associations facilitates diagnosis, prognosis, and genetic counseling. These findings provide evidence-based guidance for clinical management and highlight the importance of variant-specific prognostication in this emerging neurodevelopmental disorder.

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30. Li MTW, Mello M, MacLennan K, Lee Masson H. Autistic adults prefer social touch less but engage just as much: The impact of social context, relationship type, sensory responsivity, and psychological factors. Autism. 2025: 13623613251403906.

Autistic people face touch-related challenges, yet the factors influencing these difficulties are not well understood. We developed a novel instrument to capture social touch experiences of autistic adults, along with both social and individual factors that influence them. Using a body-painting task and questionnaires, we demonstrated that the perception of touch interactions varies based on social contexts and neurotypes. Autistic adults, on average, prefer touch less, but the type of relationship influences the perceived comfort and meaningfulness of touch similarly in both groups. Regarding the appropriateness, erogeneity, and pleasantness of social touch, the autistic group showed different touch perceptions in professional and friendly scenarios compared to the non-autistic group, whereas touch in intimate scenarios was perceived similarly. Sensory responsivity, touch predictability, social confidence, and touch-related anxiety affect social touch to a greater extent than the non-autistic group. Despite these marked differences in perception, the autistic adults, on average, engage in social touch as frequently as non-autistic adults, and their satisfaction with touch is comparable. Our findings suggest that supporting autistic people would involve understanding their preferences and the contextual factors that contribute to their sense of comfort, rather than excluding them from touch interactions.Lay abstractAutistic people find certain types of touch, particularly light or unexpected touch, uncomfortable or overwhelming. The reasons for this are not fully understood. To address this, we asked both autistic and non-autistic adults how they feel about being touched in different situations and on different parts of the body. We also asked how much they enjoy touch and how they feel about being touched by people in various relationships, such as a partner, parent, or friend. Finally, we looked at how individual traits affect their experience of touch. We found that the autistic group engaged in social touch just as often as the non-autistic group and reported similar overall satisfaction. In intimate contexts, such as with a romantic partner, both groups perceived touch similarly. Both groups agreed that touch from a partner or child is the most meaningful and comfortable compared to other relationship types. Despite some similarities, autistic adults, on average, still reported enjoying social touch less overall and experiencing more touch-related challenges in romantic relationships. They also placed less importance on touch for bonding. Moreover, the autistic group rated touch as less appropriate, less pleasant, or less intimate than the non-autistic group in professional (like physiotherapy) or friendly (like a dance class) situations. While social interaction difficulties influence how both groups experience touch, other factors seem to play a stronger role for the autistic group, such as how predictable the touch is, whether they experience sensory challenges, and how socially confident they feel or how anxious about touch they are. Rather than assuming autistic people dislike touch, it is important to recognise that they may have different preferences, and that certain situations make touch feel more comfortable and enjoyable. Respecting these preferences can help make social touch more positive and meaningful, potentially improving relationship quality with autistic people.

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31. Mandal AS, Shinohara RT, Jung B, Gardner M, Akouri HE, Yerys BE, Low KJ, Cole TJ, Guthrie W, Janke KM, Herrington JD, Hocking MC, Ball G, Payne JM, North KN, Muhlert N, Garg S, Seidlitz J, Fisher MJ, Alexander-Bloch AF. NF1-Specific Growth Charts for Head Circumference Over the First 3 Years of Life. Neurology. 2026; 106(2): e214480.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Macrocephaly is among the most common findings in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and may be associated with other clinical manifestations of the genetic syndrome. NF1-specific growth charts that account for expected macrocephaly may increase sensitivity for detecting atypical growth. We aimed to produce NF1-specific growth charts of head circumference for the age range of 0-3 years and to assess their potential clinical impact. METHODS: Using electronic health records from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, we collected head circumference measurements from children with NF1 and a community control cohort seen at scheduled well-child visits. We compared head circumference normalized using Centers for Disease Control (CDC) growth charts between these groups over time. We constructed NF1-specific growth charts using 2 independent methods. Finally, we used mixed-effects models to relate the resulting centile scores to developmental delay assessed with the Survey of Well-being of Young Children. RESULTS: Our data set contained 2,180 observations from 305 individuals (167 male) with NF1 and 104,750 observations from 16,742 individuals (8,809 male) in the community control cohort, all aged 0-3 years. Head circumference was significantly elevated in the NF1 cohort across the age range (p-adjusted <0.05), but the Cohen effect size d varied nonlinearly with age, starting moderate at 1 month (d = 0.56), then small at 4 months (d = 0.28), moderate again at 15 months (d = 0.58), and finally large at 28 months (d = 0.80). NF1-specific growth curves demonstrated slower increases in head circumference in the first 2 months of life, yet more sustained growth over time. Although none of the children with NF1 met the standard for microcephaly according to CDC charts, smaller head circumference benchmarked against NF1-specific charts was correlated with developmental delay (standardized β = 0.24; p < 0.02). DISCUSSION: We present the first NF1-specific growth charts for head circumference covering the age range of 0-3 years. Macrocephaly in NF1 becomes more exaggerated over time as rate of growth is sustained compared with controls. Smaller head size relative to NF1 growth expectations is not captured by CDC charts yet it nevertheless relates to developmental delay, suggesting that NF1-specific charts may increase sensitivity to clinically concerning patterns of growth in children with NF1.

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32. Margiotti K, Fabiani M, Cima A, Monaco F, Viola A, Mesoraca A, Giorlandino C. Neurodevelopmental Phenotype Associated with TRIP12: Report of a Family Carrying the p.Asp1135Val Variant. Genes (Basel). 2025; 16(12).

BACKGROUND: Pathogenic variants in the TRIP12 gene are associated with Clark-Baraitser syndrome, a condition characterized by neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and speech delay. Phenotypic expression is variable, and facial features are not consistently present. Familial inheritance is rare. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed on a proband with speech disorder and ASD, as well as on her parents. Clinical assessment included developmental, cognitive, and physical evaluations. RESULTS: A heterozygous missense variant c.3404A>T (p. Asp1135Val) in the TRIP12 gene was identified in both the proband and her father. Both presented with speech disorder and ASD without facial features or severe intellectual disability. CONCLUSIONS: In line with recent genotype-phenotype studies, missense TRIP12 variants tend to be associated with milder neurodevelopmental presentations, typically characterized by mild to moderate intellectual impairment, variable autistic traits, limited or absent facial features, and a low incidence of epilepsy. This familial case further presents the phenotypic spectrum of TRIP12 missense variants and highlights that ASD and speech disorder may occur as isolated neurodevelopmental findings without syndromic features. The report reinforces the relevance of TRIP12 analysis in the differential diagnosis of ASD and language disorders, even in individuals lacking physical traits, supporting more accurate genetic counseling and broader awareness of inherited TRIP12-related conditions.

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33. McCrossin R. Finding the Prevalence of Autism in Female Mental Illness: Improving Child Development for an Underdiagnosed and Undertreated Population. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Structure of the study: Aims: The primary aim is to explore intergenerational clinical issues caused by the underdiagnosis of female autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in mental illness (MI) patients by calculating the proportion of patients with mental health conditions who are autistic. Secondary aims are to derive further values for the true prevalence of female ASD and to derive a mathematical model to estimate the improved efficiency of management based on the correct diagnostic formulation. Context: Review diagnosis problems and background issues relating to female autism which affect the diagnosis and management of ASD and associated MIs. Methodology: An inductive process using Bayes’ theorem including a novel form akin to a medical test with secondary data from peer-reviewed sources, and the key variable of the unbiased value for the prevalence of ASD in females. Derivation of a model for management efficiency based on the Pareto Principle. Results: Prevalence values for ASD in various mental illnesses and conditions consequent on or associated with ASD and MI. Further data for the prevalence of female ASD with a range of 19 values. Estimation of the efficiency gains as advocacy for the revision of methods of treatment. Discussion: The centrality of diagnosing ASD in mothers with mental illness, in particular perinatal depression, to break a common intergenerational cycle. Problems to overcome and aspects of effective management including environmental and therapeutic interventions. Summary: This paper will, for the first time, calculate the proportions of children and young women with a mental illness (MI) who are autistic, and consider the consequences. Recent information suggests female autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is much more common than previously thought, with a likely prevalence of 6% and with 80% undiagnosed at the age of 18. ASD then becomes a common comorbidity of female mental illness with nearly one in five women who develop a mental illness being autistic. ASD has heretofore been regarded as a pediatric condition and, though now thought to be lifelong, it is still not well recognized by adult health services. Most mental illness first presents in the teens and early twenties, although anxiety can begin even earlier. Comorbid ASD is more difficult to diagnose due to diagnostic overshadowing, and ASD comorbidity makes the mental illness more severe and more difficult to treat. The consequences of perinatal depression are particularly concerning due to their intergenerational effects. Recognized ASD is readily treatable with an approach empathetic to neurodiversity. Improving the transition from adolescence to young adulthood by increasing knowledge of autism in adult health services would dramatically improve female mental health at surprisingly little effort or extra cost.

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34. Mériaux J, Foin S, El Ahmadi A, Assaiante C, Colé P. Assessing Language Skills in Children Aged 4 to 6 Years with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Prospective Study. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Background/Objectives: Language impairments are highly prevalent in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In preschoolers (3-6 years), language development predicts future social outcomes. Despite the availability of standardized tests for typically developing children, few studies have specifically examined language impairments in preschool-aged children with ASD using these tools. This study aimed to comprehensively assess receptive and expressive lexicon, receptive comprehension, phonology and articulation using standardized tools, and to evaluate their feasibility. A secondary goal was to compare the results obtained with standardized tests to those from developmental batteries and hetero-assessments (caregiver reports). Methods: Forty-seven children with ASD aged 4 to 6 years participated. Assessments included standardized language tests, developmental batteries and hetero-assessments. The dichotomous Rasch model evaluated feasibility and item performance of standardized tests. Concordance across methods was analyzed via Pearson correlations and stepwise linear regression. Results: Standardized assessments were feasible for most participants despite wide variability in language abilities. Partial but non-equivalent concordance was found among assessment methods, each providing complementary insights into language profiles. Conclusions: Combining multiple assessment methods is crucial to capture the complexity of language development in children with ASD. Standardized tests can be adapted and provide more precise profiles than developmental batteries or hetero-assessments alone. A multimodal approach is essential to accurately identify language strengths and therapeutic targets in preschool-aged children with ASD.

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35. Molina-Cedrés F, Medina-Ramírez R, Báez-Suárez A, Vílchez-Barrera M, García-Quintana M, Hernandez-Pérez A, García-Rodríguez I, Álamo-Arce D, Etopa-Bitata MDP. Impact of NESA Non-Invasive Neuromodulation on Sleep, Behavior, and Sensory Profile in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Background/Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition affecting up to 1.7% of the global population. Current interventions do not treat the root cause, prompting research into novel treatments like non-invasive neuromodulation. The objective of this study is to examine the use of NESA technology in children with ASD, to determine if it generates changes in their conduct and their central symptoms related to the spectrum. Methods: In this study, twelve children with ASD underwent NESA neuromodulation therapy. We assessed the children’s (CSHQ) and parents’ sleep quality (Pittsburg scale), aberrant behavior (ABC-C), and sensory profile (SP-2). Results: In most cases (66.7%), we observed an improvement in the test results. A comparative analysis of NESA protocols revealed that the optimal programming strategy involves a longer duration of programs 7 and 8 of NESA microcurrents. Conclusions: Given the limited number of patients included in the data set, further investigations are necessary to draw more robust conclusions. This novel form of treatment offers the potential to address autism spectrum disorder by targeting the autonomic nervous system. This approach may influence underlying mechanisms of the autonomic nervous system. The pilot study has opened a new avenue for future research.

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36. Moradi P, Rahimi-Madiseh M, Zerean E, Amini-Khoei H. Maternal Separation Stress Augments Autistic-Like Behaviors Provoked Following Colitis Induced With Acetic Acid in Mice: Possible Role of Hippocampus Structural Alteration, Neuroinflammation, and mTOR. Dev Neurobiol. 2026; 86(1): e70001.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an enduring inflammatory complaint with extraintestinal consequences, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This experiment was directed to test the influence of maternal separation (MS) stress on the comorbidity of ASD-like behaviors provoked following experimental colitis in male mice, emphasizing the relevance of hippocampal structure, mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR), and neuroinflammation. The 32 male Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice were randomly assigned into four groups, including the MS mice with or without induction of colitis and control mice with or without induction of colitis. Seven days after induction of colitis using acetic acid, mice subjected to the behaviors related to autism, including sociability and social preference indexes, passive avoidance memory, and repetitive and anxiety-like behaviors, were assessed. Then, the colon and hippocampus were dissected out. Diameter and percent of dark neurons of the CA1 and CA3 in the hippocampus plus histopathological change in the colon were assessed. RT-PCR measured TLR4, TNF-α, IL-1β, and mTOR mRNA expression in the hippocampus. Outcomes revealed that MS amplified the negative effects of colitis on related behaviors to autism. MS augmented effect of colitis on reduction of diameters and enhancement of dark neurons in the CA1 and CA3 parts along with histopathological changes of the colon. The hippocampal mRNA expression of TLR4, IL-1β, TNF-α, and mTOR more increased in the group that underwent both MS and colitis. These findings, partially, suggest that MS intensified the influence of colitis on ASD-like phenotype, reinforcing, in part, the role of hippocampal neuroinflammation, mTOR as well as structural hippocampal changes.

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37. Orlando JM, Moeyaert M, Alghamdi ZS, Lobo MA. Enhanced Play Education for Parents Can Positively Impact Development in Infancy: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2026; 38(1): 96-106.

PURPOSE: To evaluate feasibility and effect of Enhanced Play Education (EPE) on development relative to Usual Play Education (UPE) for infants of varying abilities. EPE encouraged child-initiated movement, problem-solving with objects, and responsive communication; UPE reflected popular education. METHODS: Participants were randomly assigned to the UPE or EPE group and received written, illustrated instructions to perform their play activities 15 minutes daily. Standardized developmental assessments occurred at baseline, after the 4-week intervention, and 1 and 2 months later. RESULTS: Forty-nine infants (M = 3.5 months; 35 with typical development; 14 at risk of developmental delays) and 44 parents were enrolled. Both interventions were feasible. Infants with typical development had greater cognitive and supine gross motor improvements after EPE; infants at risk had greater gross motor improvements after EPE. CONCLUSION: Educating parents to engage in quality play activities may be an effective method to advance early motor and cognitive outcomes for young infants.

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38. Park H, Na J, Kim SY, Lee S. A mixed-methods study examining the ripple effect of inclusive employment on reducing stigma toward autistic people in South Korea. Autism. 2025: 13623613251407763.

This mixed-methods study examines how contact with Autistar, a Korean company providing strength-based, institutional-level support to autistic designers, is associated with stigma toward autistic people. One-hundred thirty-eight non-autistic community members completed an online survey; mixed-effects and stepwise regression analyses assessed relationships between contact with Autistar and stigma. Focus group interviews with 11 participants drawn from this full survey sample who had extensive contact with Autistar were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Quantitative analyses indicated that greater contact breadth with Autistar was linked to lower stigma. In particular, participation in exhibitions and introduction by acquaintances predicted lower stigma. Qualitative analysis revealed that sustained and informed contact, which allowed participants to notice similarities between themselves and autistic employees and the strengths of these employees, helped them view autistic people as part of their ingroup. This study linked contact theory and ingroup bias theory to explain how high-quality contact may be associated with perceiving autistic people as part of one’s ingroup. The findings underscored the societal impact of an inclusive employment model, which extends beyond individual interactions to influence societal attitudes, and suggested the need for further research on systemic policies to expand such initiatives.Lay abstractAutistic people often face stigma, meaning they are treated unfairly or seen as different in a negative way. This stigma can make it difficult for them to find jobs, build relationships, and fully participate in society. This study looks at how Autistar may help change the way people think about autism. Autistar is a South Korean company that hires and supports autistic designers. We wanted to understand if seeing and interacting with Autistar and autistic designers at Autistar could help reduce stigma. To do this, we surveyed 138 non-autistic people who had some level of contact with Autistar. We asked about their experiences and attitudes toward autistic people. We also conducted group interviews with 11 participants who had more experience with the company to get deeper insights. Quantitative analysis showed that people who had more interactions with Autistar reported more positive attitudes. The results from the interviews showed that seeing autistic people’s talents helped break stereotypes. Seeing autistic people at exhibitions, learning about them, or meeting them through friends and family was linked to less stigma. Some participants said they no longer saw autistic people as « different » but as part of the same world with valuable skills. Participants were more comfortable working with or spending time with autistic people than before interacting with autistic employees of Autistar. This study shows that inclusive workplaces like this can help change how people think about autism. By creating more job opportunities with proper support for autistic people, we may be able to build a more inclusive society.

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39. Patel R, Jerskey BA, Shannon J, Soares N, Fogler JM. AI-Enabled Technologies and Biomarker Analysis for the Early Identification of Autism and Related Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental conditions are a significant public health concern, with diagnostic delays hindering timely intervention. Traditional assessments often lead to waiting times exceeding a year. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and biomarker-based screening offer objective, efficient alternatives for early identification. Objective: This review synthesizes the latest evidence for AI-enabled technologies aimed at improving early ASD identification. Modalities covered include eye-tracking, acoustic analysis, video- and sensor-based behavioral screening, neuroimaging, molecular/genetic assays, electronic health record prediction, and home-based digital applications or apps. This manuscript critically evaluates their diagnostic accuracy, clinical feasibility, scalability, and implementation hurdles, while highlighting regulatory and ethical considerations. Findings: Across modalities, machine learning approaches demonstrate strong accuracy and specificity in ASD detection. Eye-tracking and voice-acoustic classifiers reliably differentiate for autistic children, while home-video analysis and Electronic Health Record (EHR)-based algorithms show promise for scalable screening. Multimodal integration significantly enhances predictive power. Several tools have received Food and Drug Administration clearance, signaling momentum for wider clinical deployment. Issues persist regarding equity, data privacy, algorithmic bias, and real-world performance. Conclusions: AI-enabled screeners and diagnostic aids have the potential to transform ASD detection and access to early intervention. Integrating these technologies into clinical workflows must safeguard equity, privacy, and clinician oversight. Ongoing longitudinal research and robust regulatory frameworks are essential to ensure these advances benefit diverse populations and deliver meaningful outcomes for children and families.

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40. Philosoph LK, Yoffe C, El Biri B, Baryakh P, Saar EG, Mayorov M, Yosef OB. Distinct protein profiles in cord blood plasma of children with autism spectrum disorder. Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1): 44947.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a genetic origin in approximately 30% of cases, while the remaining causes are primarily linked to epigenetic and non-genetic factors. This study aims to identify potential non-genetic causes contributing to ASD by investigating the underlying cellular mechanisms through proteomic analysis. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) mediate cellular communication and are linked to brain development disorders. Here, we utilize mass-spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of EVs derived from umbilical cord blood plasma collected from 30 children diagnosed with non-syndromic ASD and 30 neurotypical controls. The analysis identified 565 proteins with significantly different expression levels, most of which were more abundant in the ASD group. Notably, the protein expression variances were markedly lower in the ASD group, suggesting a similar cellular activity. Differentially expressed proteins were clustered using String software into 3 groups: mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and a mixture of immune and cytoskeletal proteins. Further statistical analysis identified 11 strongly predictive ASD proteins, while the Human Protein Atlas recognized an additional 13 brain-specific proteins. A portion of these 24 proteins was associated with synaptogenesis and myelination. These findings suggest that, despite diverse etiologies, ASD may converge on a common final pathway involving mitochondrial and ER dysfunction, resulting in abnormal synaptogenesis. This study presents the first unbiased proteomic analysis of exosomal proteins aimed at determining whether neurodevelopmental disruptions linked to ASD originate prenatally or postnatally.

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41. Samelson D, Ikola J, Fitchett B, Befi M, Bemmel V, Pfingston B, Sneed L. Initial Analysis of the Effectiveness of Compass-Behavioral for Autistic Youth: A Community-Based Retrospective Analysis. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Compass-Behavioral is a novel, structured coaching program designed to enhance executive functioning and wellbeing in autistic youth and adults. This mixed-methods study examined outcomes from program participation across multiple clinical sites within a nonprofit organization. Quantitative analyses used de-identified archival data from participants completing the Youth and Adult Wellbeing Scales, along with self-assessments associated with the program. Results demonstrated trends toward improvement in wellbeing following program participation. Results of the self-assessment improved significantly from baseline to completion. Complementary qualitative data were gathered from participant feedback surveys, providing insights into perceived benefits and areas for program improvement. Themes included increased self-awareness, improved organization and planning, and greater confidence in everyday functioning. Taken together, the findings suggest Compass-Behavioral is a promising program for supporting executive functioning and quality of life outcomes among autistic individuals, while also pointing to opportunities for strengthening measurement and long-term impact. Further research is warranted to refine outcome measures, expand sample sizes, and evaluate program effects in more diverse clinical and community contexts.

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42. Sánchez-Pedroche A, Adrover-Roig D, Valera-Pozo M, Lara Díaz MF, Aguilar-Mediavilla E. Adaptive Behavior and Bullying Experiences in Spanish-Speaking Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare adaptive and maladaptive behaviors of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Level 1 (ASD-L1) and their experiences of bullying in comparison to a matched control group. Additionally, we explored which of such behaviors predicted both victimization and aggression in both samples. METHODS: The sample consisted of 96 children and adolescents, 48 with ASD-L1 (31 Colombians and 17 Spanish) and 48 controls (31 Colombians and 17 Spanish), matched by age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Adaptive and maladaptive behaviors, as well as bullying experiences, were assessed. RESULTS: Children with ASD-L1 reported higher levels of clinical and school maladjustment and lower levels of personal adjustment compared to the control group. Although no significant differences were found in bullying victimization, the ASD-L1 group showed higher aggression scores. In this group, lower personal adjustment predicted victimization, whereas higher clinical maladjustment predicted aggression. In contrast, in the control group, aggression was predicted by school maladjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Aggressive behavior in children with ASD-L1 was linked to higher levels of clinical maladjustment, while better personal adjustment served as a protective factor against bullying victimization. These findings emphasize distinct socio-emotional mechanisms underlying bullying involvement in autistic and typically developing youth.

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43. Sarnataro R, Siracusano M, Campanile R, Marcovecchio C, Babolin S, Riccioni A, Arturi L, Mazzone L. Relationship Between Food Selectivity, Adaptive Functioning and Behavioral Profile in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

OBJECTIVES: Atypical eating habits frequently characterize people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) from early infancy. Food selectivity, defined as a narrow variety of food intake and reticence to new food, is the most frequent feeding disorder in ASD. The objective of this study was to investigate the adaptive functioning and the behavioral profile of individuals with ASD with food selectivity (FS) in comparison to an ASD sample without food selectivity (NFS). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on 286 children (mean age = 46.95 months) with a diagnosis of ASD; 43.3% of the sample had a history of food selectivity (FS), whereas 56.6% had no history of food selectivity (NFS). RESULTS: No differences were found between the FS and NFS groups on cognition, autism symptom levels, and age. The FS group presented lower adaptive skills and greater behavioral problems in comparison to the NFS group. A worse clinical profile characterized children with more than one kind of food selectivity. CONCLUSIONS: The early identification and longitudinal evaluation of specific clinical and behavioral patterns in children with ASD associated with food selectivity could contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between autism symptoms and atypical eating habits.

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44. Schuck RK, Jevtić E, Ferguson EF, Millan ME, Slap DM, Uljarević M, Phillips JM, Hardan AY, Gengoux GW. One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Variability in Autistic Children’s Response to Pivotal Response Treatment. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) is a naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention designed to strengthen autistic children’s social communication skills. Few studies have examined which children benefit the most from PRT and which characteristics are associated with meaningful progress. We analyzed data from 23 children with autism and significant language delay who had been randomized to receive PRT in a previously completed 24-week randomized controlled trial of parent training and clinician-delivered intervention. Participants were categorized as intervention responders and non-responders based on the demonstration of meaningful improvement (or lack thereof) in social communication using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MCDI) Reliable Change index scores and clinician determination based on review of language samples and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale (CGI). Baseline child characteristics associated with being a responder were assessed. Sixteen participants were responders on the language sample, ten on the MCDI, and sixteen on the CGI. Nine were consistent responders across all three measures; six were consistent non-responders. Verbal ability at baseline was associated with being a responder across all measures. In our small sample, baseline verbal ability was associated with being a responder to PRT, though categorization as a responder differed somewhat based on outcome measure. Future research should explore responder profiles specifically in children who are nonspeaking to inform the development of more effective supports for this group.

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45. Sclabassi E, Peret S, Qian C, Gao Y. Pharmacological Interventions in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms and Efficacy. Biomedicines. 2025; 13(12).

Background and Objectives: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition characterized by social communication deficits, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviors. At present, there is no pharmacological intervention that reliably targets the core symptoms of ASD; instead, medications are primarily used to manage associated or concurrent symptoms such as irritability, aggression, anxiety, attention difficulties, and sleep disturbances. This review summarizes the current evidence for pharmacological treatments in ASD, emphasizing how these interventions are used in a symptom-focused, adjunctive manner, and highlighting efficacy, mechanisms, limitations, and emerging therapeutic targets. Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase to identify clinical trials, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and preclinical studies on pharmacological interventions for ASD. Seventy-seven references were integrated to reflect the current state of evidence. Results: Established pharmacological strategies include atypical antipsychotics for severe irritability and aggression, as well as antidepressants, stimulants and non-stimulant agents, mood stabilizers, and anxiolytics for selected comorbid symptoms, although efficacy is often modest and variable, and side effects can be significant. Adjunctive and investigational approaches targeting glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission, monoaminergic systems, and neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress pathways show preliminary promise but remain experimental. Across all categories, pharmacological treatments are most effective when embedded in individualized, multimodal care plans that integrate behavioral, rehabilitative, and psychological interventions. Conclusions: This review maps pharmacologic strategies in ASD onto their underlying neurobiological mechanisms and clarifies how evidence strength differs across drug classes and symptom domains. Ongoing advances in genetics, synaptic and circuit-level neuroscience, and neuroimmune signaling are expected to yield more specific, mechanism-based pharmacological approaches for autistic behaviors, with the potential to improve long-term functioning and quality of life when combined with comprehensive psychosocial care.

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46. Sotgiu MA, Carta A, Cavassa V, Montella A, Masala S, Barisano G, Sotgiu S. Autism Spectrum Disorder and Perivascular Spaces: An Integrative Perspective Across the Lifespan. J Clin Med. 2025; 14(24).

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent social communication difficulties, restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and frequent medical comorbidities. Although early brain development in ASD has been extensively investigated, its biological progression across adulthood and aging remains largely unexplored. Growing evidence suggests that perivascular space (PVS) abnormalities may indicate impaired neurovascular integrity and reduced glymphatic clearance in ASD. Enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS) in children commonly present alongside increased extra-axial CSF accumulation and more severe clinical manifestations, consistent with early alterations in CSF homeostasis and neuroimmune signaling. However, whether these abnormalities persist or evolve with aging remains unknown. Given that glymphatic and vascular integrity decline with age, and adults with ASD show elevated rates of sleep, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders, PVS alterations may represent a unifying mechanism linking early neurodevelopmental divergence with later neurovascular vulnerability and cognitive aging. Advances in ultra-high-field MRI and automated segmentation now enable precise in vivo quantification of PVS burden, offering new opportunities for lifespan studies. By combining structural and functional methodologies, researchers may determine whether PVS constitute enduring traits, dynamic indicators of disease, or actionable therapeutic targets. Understanding their trajectories could provide critical insights into the continuum between neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative phenomena in autism.

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47. Tecar C, Chiperi LE, Iftimie BE, Livint-Popa L, Stefanescu E, Lucia SM, Draghici NC, Muresanu DF. Eye-Tracking as a Screening Tool in the Early Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2025; 14(24).

Background: Early detection of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is essential, as the first two years of life represent a critical window of neuroplasticity during which timely interventions can improve developmental outcomes. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as ADOS and ADI-R, rely on caregiver reports and structured observations, limiting ecological validity and accessibility. Eye-tracking (ET) offers a non-invasive, scalable approach to assess early atypical gaze patterns. Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence on the diagnostic accuracy of ET for early ASD detection and its potential as an adjunctive screening tool. Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Medline, and the Cochrane Library identified studies published between January 2015 and July 2025. Eligible studies evaluated ET in infants and toddlers (≤36 months) for early ASD identification, following PRISMA guidelines. Results: Out of 513 records, 57 studies were included. Most studies reported reduced fixation on social stimuli, atypical gaze following, and preference for geometric over social images in infants later diagnosed with ASD. Pooled effect sizes indicated a moderate-to-large difference between ASD and typically developing groups in social fixation time (Hedges’ g ≈ 0.65, 95% CI: 0.48-0.82, I(2) = 58%). Studies integrating machine learning algorithms (n = 14) achieved improved sensitivity (up to 89%) and specificity (up to 86%) compared with conventional gaze metrics. Conclusions: Overall, ET shows strong potential as an early adjunctive screening method for ASD. Nonetheless, methodological heterogeneity and lack of standardized protocols currently limit clinical translation, underscoring the need for multi-center validation and task standardization.

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48. Tengsujaritkul M, Louthrenoo O, Likhitweerawong N, Boonchooduang N, Srisurapanont M. Diagnostic and clinical utility of exome sequencing and chromosomal microarray in children with GDD/iD: a meta-analysis. Ann Med. 2026; 58(1): 2609424.

BACKGROUND: Global developmental delay/intellectual disability (GDD/ID) is among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, with up to half of cases are attributed to genetic factors. Chromosome microarray (CMA) has traditionally been the primary genetic test for idiopathic GDD/ID. However, whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) have recently emerged, substantially increasing diagnostic yields in these populations. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library from inception to April 29, 2025. Studies reporting the diagnostic utility of these tests in children with GDD/ID were included and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 102 studies, comprising 55,752 children, were reviewed. The pooled diagnostic yield of WES was 0.37 (95% CI: 0.33-0.41; I(2) = 93%), significantly higher than that of CMA at 0.19 (95% CI: 0.16-0.21; I(2) = 95%). Subgroup analyses showed that WES yielded significantly higher diagnostic rates than CMA in both same-sample comparisons (OR = 2.27, 95% CI: 1.08-4.78) and different-sample comparisons (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.15-2.37). Only one study evaluated WGS, reporting a diagnostic yield of 0.27. Meta-regression revealed a significant association between CMA diagnostic yield and the proportion of male participants (p < 0.01), but not with WES. No significant difference in diagnostic utility was observed between isolated GDD/ID and GDD/ID with comorbidities. CONCLUSION: In children with unexplained GDD/ID, WES demonstrates superior diagnostic and clinical utility compared to CMA. Incorporating WES as a first-line investigation in the diagnostic evaluation of GDD/ID may be warranted. The pooled diagnostic yield of whole exome sequencing (WES) was 0.37 (95% CI: 0.33–0.41), significantly higher than that of chromosomal microarray (CMA) at 0.19 (95% CI: 0.16–0.21) in children with global developmental delay/intellectual disability (GDD/ID).No significant difference in diagnostic utility was observed between isolated GDD/ID and GDD/ID with comorbidities.WES may be warranted as a first-line investigation in the diagnostic evaluation of GDD/ID. eng.

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49. Wang Y, Lv G, Liu D, Li X, Li P, Gao X. The Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Depression: The Chain Mediating Roles of Interpersonal Competence and Social Avoidance and Distress. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Individuals with high autistic traits typically face a higher risk of depression, making it necessary to explore the relationship between autistic traits and depression in depth. Building on previous research, this study further investigates the roles of interpersonal competence, social avoidance and distress in the relationship between autistic traits and depression. A total of 674 college students were surveyed online using the Chinese version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) questionnaire, the Chinese version of the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire (ICQ), the Chinese version of the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SAD), and the Chinese version of the 13-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Correlation analysis results indicate that autistic traits exhibit a significant negative correlation with interpersonal skills, while showing a significant positive correlation with social distress, social avoidance, and depression levels. Conversely, interpersonal skills demonstrate a significant negative correlation with social avoidance, distress, and depression. Social avoidance and distress showed a significant positive correlation with depression. Chain mediation analysis revealed that interpersonal skills exerted a chain mediating effect between autistic traits and depression via social avoidance and distress. These findings provide insights for further exploration of the relationship and mechanisms underlying autistic traits and depression in individuals.

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50. Wolfer P, Baumeister F, Durrleman S. Bilingualism Enhances Metalinguistic Awareness in Autism: Extending the Two-Dimensional Grammaticality Judgment Task. Autism Res. 2025.

Bilingualism has been associated with enhanced metalinguistic awareness (MA), the ability to reflect upon language. However, findings remain mixed, and little is known about how proficiency in the most proficient (L1) and second-best language (L2) contribute to MA, especially in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), who often present heterogeneous cognitive and linguistic profiles. We tested 270 children aged 5-12 (90 autistic, 180 neurotypical) using a two-dimensional Grammaticality Judgment Task (GJT) requiring two components of MA: analyzed knowledge (understanding of grammatical rules) and cognitive control (suppressing irrelevant semantic cues). Bilingualism was examined both categorically (monolingual vs. bilingual) and continuously (L2 proficiency), using generalized linear mixed-effects models controlling for age, nonverbal IQ, and L1 proficiency. Among neurotypical children, no significant bilingual advantage was found. In contrast, bilingual autistic children significantly outperformed monolingual peers on items requiring cognitive control, and higher L2 proficiency was associated with better overall GJT performance. These findings advance understanding of how bilingualism relates to metalinguistic abilities in autism and suggest that it is not only non-detrimental but may confer specific metalinguistic benefits. The study underscores the importance of combining categorical and continuous approaches to bilingualism to better capture individual variability in neurodiverse populations.

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51. Xu Y, Kapetanakos X, Meehan M, Tam J, Vanegas SB. Patterns of Caregiver Communicative Behaviors Among Low-Income Chinese Immigrant Mothers of Children with Autism-An Exploratory Study. Behav Sci (Basel). 2025; 15(12).

Caregiver communicative behaviors are critical in supporting social and language development in children with autism, yet little is known about how these behaviors manifest among Chinese immigrant families who face unique cultural and socioeconomic challenges. This study examined the communicative strategies of 11 Chinese immigrant caregivers of preschool-aged children with autism in the US during structured caregiver-child interactions. Caregiver behaviors were coded across directive and non-directive categories, including supportive directives, directives, labeling, praise, imitation, and expansion, and joint engagement quality was rated using the Joint Engagement Rating Inventory (JERI). Results showed that supportive directives and directives were the most frequent behaviors, reflecting cultural values of parental guidance and educational scaffolding, whereas non-directive strategies such as imitation and expansion were less common and more often observed among higher-income and more acculturated families. Caregiver self-efficacy in using evidence-based strategies was positively associated with greater use of non-directive communicative strategies and higher joint engagement scores. Results suggest that providers should recognize and build on culturally grounded strengths, such as the educator role and calm authority, while introducing complementary strategies that enhance joint engagement. Culturally and linguistically responsive support is especially needed to ensure equitable access for families with limited English proficiency or lower income. Although limited by a small sample size, this exploratory study provides preliminary insight into culturally influenced caregiver-child communication patterns and offers directions for larger, more rigorous research.

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52. Zeleke WA, Asfaw ED, Lee A, King A, Long S. The Social and Communicational Profile of Children Identified with Autism in Ethiopia. Children (Basel). 2025; 12(12).

Background: In Ethiopia, children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families face substantial challenges in obtaining timely diagnosis and appropriate services, including limited public awareness, cultural stigma, and shortages of trained professionals. Understanding how social and communication difficulties manifest in children identified with ASD within Ethiopian service settings is essential for designing culturally and contextually responsive interventions. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the social-communication characteristics of children enrolled in two major autism-focused centers and to examine contextual influences shaping their communication profiles. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed. Quantitative data were collected from parents or guardians of 110 children using the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ). Qualitative data were gathered through five focus group discussions with 56 service providers. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied to SCQ scores, while thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative transcripts. Results: Overall, 90% of participating children scored above the SCQ clinical cutoff of 15, indicating pronounced social and communication challenges, though these scores represent symptom patterns rather than confirmed diagnoses. No significant differences in SCQ scores were observed by age or gender. Thematic analysis identified four major contextual influences on children’s social-communicative behaviors: cultural beliefs about disability, multilingual communication environments, systemic barriers to service access, and persistent community stigma. Conclusions: These findings underscore the need for culturally adapted screening tools and community-based interventions that account for sociocultural and structural influences on communication. Strengthening early identification, reducing stigma, and improving service accessibility may enhance support for children with ASD in low-resource, collectivist settings.

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