1. Ashburner J, Tomkins V, Downing C, Rietberg E, Hill J, Copley J, Bobir N. « My Sensory Experiences Tool »: A Neurodiversity-Affirming Therapeutic Tool to Support the Sensory Challenges and Preferences of Autistic Children and Adults. Occup Ther Int. 2026; 2026(1): e4779496.

BACKGROUND: My Sensory Experiences Tool (MYSET) is a picture-based card-sort tool designed to support conversations with autistic people about their sensory experiences with a view to enabling better understanding and accommodation of their sensory challenges. PURPOSE: This study aimed firstly to describe MYSET and the considerations that guided the development of the tool, and secondly to explore the perceptions of autistic people, family members and professional practitioners of the usefulness of MYSET and ways it could be improved. METHOD: We gathered the perspectives of 18 professional practitioners, five autistic individuals and four family members through semi-structured interviews and focus groups. The data was analysed through inductive content analysis. FINDINGS: The participants perceived that MYSET enabled the gathering of individualised qualitative information about the person’s sensory experiences. MYSET was also perceived to be accessible, including people ranging in age from 5 years to adulthood and people with abilities ranging from mild intellectual disability to average/high IQ. The tool facilitates conversations about the links between the person’s sensory responses and their daily life experiences. A key perceived outcome of MYSET was the enhancement of others’ capacity to understand and accommodate the autistic person’s sensory challenges. The tool was refined in response to participant feedback. CONCLUSION: MYSET enables the gathering of detailed, individualised qualitative data on the sensory experiences of an autistic person and the collaborative design of accommodations that are compatible with their lifestyle.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

2. Ay B, Öztürk MA, Aydın G. Skeleton-Based Activity Recognition for Children with Autism Using Graph Convolutional Networks. Sensors (Basel). 2026; 26(14).

Movement-based and physical activity programs are central tools in autism intervention, so recognizing the activities a child performs during therapy is valuable for objective progress tracking. Manual monitoring of these sessions is time-consuming and subjective, and raw videos raise privacy concerns because it shows identifiable children. We address autism therapeutic activity recognition from privacy-preserving 2D skeletons, and we focus on the practical difficulty of how several therapeutic activities differ only in subtle motion details. As a backbone, we adopt ProtoGCN, a graph convolutional network that represents each action as a combination of learnable motion prototypes. However, this contrastive backbone organizes all classes at once, so it does not enforce a margin between the few pairs that remain entangled after training. We therefore introduce a Refine-Confusable (RC) module, a training-only regularizer that pushes apart the empirically most-confused class pairs using a hinge-margin loss over momentum-updated class centroids. The module changes neither the backbone nor the inference cost. On the MMASD dataset, restricted to the ten-class 2D-skeleton configuration, the RC module improves the base model across random, session-independent, and subject-independent evaluation. The gain is largest on the strictest subject-independent split and a clip-level analysis confirms that this improvement is statistically significant. Under the protocol-matched holdout, the method reaches 96.30% accuracy with 0.959 macro-F1, surpassing recent 2D-skeleton baselines while keeping a lightweight and privacy-preserving modality. The improvements are modest, as expected on a small clinical dataset, and t-SNE and prototype visualizations show that the learned representation is discriminative and interpretable.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

3. Cairney BE, Haebig E, Lucas HD. Examining the Roles of Retrieval Practice and Post-Retrieval Feedback in Learning Among Autistic Adults. Autism. 2026: 13623613261464659.

Retrieval practice enhances learning and is most effective when feedback is provided. Despite robust evidence that retrieval practice and post-retrieval feedback benefit numerous clinical populations, these techniques have not been studied in autism. In two experiments, we measured retrieval practice and post-retrieval feedback effects on associative memory in autistic and non-autistic adults residing in the United States. Participants attempted to memorize semantically unrelated word pairs, which were then reviewed during a practice phase consisting of retrieval practice with and without feedback. In Experiment 1, word pairs were presented to participants (40 autistic; 40 non-autistic) auditorily. In Experiment 2, stimuli were presented visually and restudy trials were added to the practice phase. Additionally, feedback for retrieval practice trials was manipulated between-subjects (80 participants per group) and a four-alternative recognition test was used in the practice phase. In both experiments, the testing phase consisted of cued recall. Both experiments yielded benefits of feedback following initial retrieval practice across groups. In addition, Experiment 2 demonstrated that both groups benefited from retrieval practice compared to restudy, even without feedback. Our results suggest that the well-documented effects of retrieval practice, particularly in concert with post-retrieval feedback, extend to support learning among autistic as well as non-autistic individuals.Lay AbstractEvery autistic person has their own unique sensory, perceptual, and social experiences that impact learning in different ways. Although many autistic learners have average or above-average IQ, individuals with a diagnosis of autism have an increased likelihood of co-occurring learning disabilities and episodic memory difficulties. These memory-related challenges make it especially important to identify strategies that can support learning in autistic populations. Retrieval practice may be one such strategy, which involves testing oneself on previously learned information. Notably, retrieval practice supports learning among many clinical populations who experience memory and learning difficulties, yet it has not been investigated among autistic learners. This study measured the effects of retrieval practice and post-retrieval feedback among autistic and non-autistic adults (40 per group in Experiment 1; 80 per group in Experiment 2) residing in the United States. The task was divided into three sections. First, participants completed a « learning » block where they attempted to memorize unrelated word pairings (e.g., typing flower). Second was a « practice » block, in which they reviewed the recently learned word pairs. Practice trials consisted of retrieval practice with feedback, retrieval practice without feedback, and restudy. In restudy trials, participants reviewed the full word pair (e.g., typing flower) and selected the second word (e.g., flower) among a list of three similar words (e.g., blossom, bud, bloom). In retrieval practice trials, participants were given the first word (e.g., typing) and attempted to remember its corresponding word (e.g., flower). In feedback trials, after participants made their response, they were presented with the full word pair (e.g., typing flower) regardless of their accuracy. In the third and final « testing » block, participants’ memory for word pairs was tested once more. This allowed us to compare the effect of retrieval practice with feedback, retrieval practice without feedback, and restudying on final test performance. In addition, we measured the generalizability of the testing effect in different learning contexts (listening to word pairs in Experiment 1; reading word pairs in Experiment 2) and retrieval practice formats (cued recall in Experiment 1; multiple choice in Experiment 2). In both experiments, the benefits of feedback following retrieval practice were evident, and retrieval practice was a more effective learning strategy than restudying word pairs. These outcomes were present in autistic and non-autistic learners alike. This study is the first to demonstrate that retrieval practice with feedback promotes learning in autistic adults. It is well-documented that autistic individuals face suboptimal educational and vocational outcomes compared to their non-autistic peers; thus, strategies that support learning are important to study. These findings contribute to a large body of existing research affirming retrieval practice as a flexible learning strategy that is most effective when accompanied by feedback and may have the potential to improve outcomes for autistic learners.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

4. Castillo-Ortega R, Hewstone-García C, Belmar-Riquelme G, Jara-Mella V. Design and content validation of AUTIVA: an ecobiopsychosocial instrument for childhood autism. Front Public Health. 2026; 14: 1768438.

There are no community-based surveys for the development or assessment of public policies with an ecobiopsychosocial approach for autistic children. This article reports the development of an instrument assessing characteristics of Chilean autistic children, in order to understand how autism manifests in different environments. This study consisted of two stages: Firstly, after a comprehensive literature review, an instrument was designed by health and education professionals alongside autistic individuals and primary caregivers. Secondly, content validation was performed using the Content Validity Index, through the calculation of the Lawshe Content Validity Ratio. Sixty questions were validated, distributed across six subscales: « General Health Profile » obtained a Content Validity of 0.94; The subscales « Sex and Gender, » « Autism Diagnosis and Concomitant Pathologies, » « Family Income and the Impact of Autism on Socioeconomic Status, » « Diet of the Autistic Person, » and « Therapies and Schooling » obtained Content Validity Indexes of 0.89; 0.98; 1.0; 0.96; and 1.0, respectively. The Content Validity Index for the full instrument was 0.96. The survey presented demonstrated initial evidence of content validity and may serve as a basis for future psychometric validation. It allows for the assessment of this population in various life aspects, and offers great potential for creating public care policies regarding this community. As this study represents an initial content validation phase, future research should assess construct validity, criterion-related validity, reliability, and cross-cultural applicability.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

5. Chen Y, Pan Y, Adalbert D, Wang H. Effect of music therapy dosage on social communication and emotion regulation in children with autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open. 2026; 16(7): e119412.

INTRODUCTION: Although the positive effects of music therapy on improving social and emotional issues in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are well-established, the relationship between specific intervention doses and treatment outcomes remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol will quantitatively evaluate the impact of music therapy dosage on social communication skills and emotional regulation functions in children with ASD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This protocol is registered with PROSPERO and follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. We will search PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline and China National Knowledge Infrastructure for randomised controlled trials on music therapy dosage in children with ASD from database inception to November 2025. Two independent reviewers will conduct study selection, data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. A random-effects model will be used for meta-analysis (Stata V.16.0, RevMan V.5.4) with Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation for evidence quality. Subgroup analyses and publication bias tests (funnel plots, Egger’s test) are planned. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This research protocol is based on data from published literature and does not involve the collection of new raw data or individual patient data; therefore, no ethical approval is required. The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis are intended for presentation at relevant scientific conferences and will be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD420251063906.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

6. de Marchena A, Wieckowski AT, Dickerson AF, Cheng HS, Perez Liz G, Dubin A, Vivanti G, Barton M, Fein D, Robins DL. Preliminary Reliability and Validity of the M-CHAT-S, a New Autism Screening Tool for School-Aged Children. Autism. 2026: 13623613261464200.

Identifying autism early is critical for ensuring timely access to appropriate educational and clinical supports. Current autism screening practices primarily focus on toddlers; universal practices for identifying the substantial portion of autistic children who arrive at school age without a diagnosis are lacking. This study evaluates the preliminary reliability and validity of the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-School Age version (M-CHAT-S), a novel screener designed for early school-age children, with separate versions for verbally fluent and minimally verbal children. A total of 165 caregivers and 107 educators completed the M-CHAT-S, along with the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2), to test convergent validity, and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), to test discriminant validity. Findings demonstrate strong internal consistency across versions (Cronbach’s α = .79-.92) and robust construct validity. Children with preexisting autism diagnoses scored higher on the M-CHAT-S than nonautistic children. Both test-retest reliability and interrater reliability were in the moderate range. Despite these limitations, the M-CHAT-S demonstrates promise as a screening tool that could facilitate earlier identification of autistic children in school settings. Future research will involve a partnership with school districts to support school-based validation and implementation.Lay AbstractChildren with disabilities have a right to a free and appropriate public education in the United States. Children who are not identified by the time of school entry are likely to miss out on appropriate services and supports to which they would otherwise be legally entitled. Many studies show that a large portion of individuals who are ultimately diagnosed with autism are not identified until by the time they start school.Screening tools can help identify children who may be on the autism spectrum. Universal autism screening is currently recommended for toddlers, but not school-age children. To address this gap, we developed the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-School Age version (M-CHAT-S) for children in early elementary school. This study tested the consistency and accuracy of the M-CHAT-S for both verbally fluent and minimally verbal children.We asked 165 caregivers and 107 educators to complete the M-CHAT-S and compared their responses to other well-established measures of autism traits and behavior. Overall, we found that the M-CHAT-S had good reliability, meaning that the items in the measure were consistent with each other. Children with a known autism diagnosis scored higher on the M-CHAT-S than non-autistic children. M-CHAT-S scores were more strongly related to another autism screening tool (the SRS-2) than to a survey of general behavior (the CBCL). However, test-retest reliability (whether the same rater’s score stayed consistent over time) and interrater reliability (whether two different raters agreed on scores) were lower than expected.These results suggest that the M-CHAT-S may be a useful tool for identifying autistic children in early school years. Future research will involve partnering with school districts to be able to reach as many children as possible, including autistic children who have not yet been identified. If validated further, this tool could help schools and families recognize children who need autistic support, leading to earlier access to services.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

7. Deniz S, Evgin D. Fathers’ experiences of caring for children with developmental disabilities. J Pediatr Nurs. 2026; 90: 649-56.

BACKGROUND: Although caregiving for children with developmental disabilities has been widely examined, fathers’ experiences remain relatively underexplored. This qualitative descriptive study explored fathers’ caregiving experiences in the context of children with developmental disabilities, focusing on psychological, social, economic, and systemic dimensions of caregiving and fathers’ coping and adaptation processes. DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 19 fathers of children diagnosed with developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and intellectual disabilities. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Rigor was ensured through credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability strategies, and reporting followed COREQ guidelines. RESULTS: Six themes were identified: meaning and transformation of fatherhood, multidimensional burden and challenges, social attitudes and support versus stigma, redefinition of the paternal role, need for formal support systems, and coping and adaptation. Fathers reported psychological distress, future-oriented anxiety, financial burden, social challenges, service-related barriers, and a need for more accessible father-inclusive support. Caregiving was also associated with personal growth, meaning-making, emotional engagement, and active participation in daily care. CONCLUSIONS: Fathers’ caregiving experiences reflected both burden and resilience, shaped by personal, social, and systemic factors. Recognizing fathers as active caregivers is essential for strengthening family-centered pediatric care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PEDIATRIC NURSING: Pediatric nurses should include fathers in assessment, communication, education, care planning, and support services to address caregiver burden and support family-centered pediatric care.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

8. Firouzi A, Mousavi Majd A, Saedi S, Khajali Z, Rezaei Kalantari K, Sarreshtehdari A, Alemzade Ansari MJ. Transhepatic Access for Transcatheter ASD Closure in Patients With Interrupted IVC. JACC Case Rep. 2026; 31(29): 108548.

Atrial septal defect (ASD) is typically managed with percutaneous transcatheter closure via femoral venous access. In patients with interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC), however, conventional access is not feasible. Although the transhepatic approach has been described, it is less frequently utilized. We report 2 patients with secundum ASD and interrupted IVC who underwent successful device closure through transhepatic venous access. Complete closure was obtained in both cases. These cases highlight the feasibility of transhepatic access for ASD closure when femoral access is not possible. Ultrasound guidance and coil embolization of the hepatic tract appear to be important strategies for reducing complications, particularly hemorrhage. One of our patients developed hemoperitoneum requiring emergent laparotomy, whereas the second patient had an uneventful recovery. Transhepatic access provides a valuable alternative route for percutaneous ASD closure in patients with interrupted IVC, and it can expand therapeutic options for structurally complex cases.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

9. Guimarães GNF. Autism prevalence and the limits of diagnostic expansion: a perspective on diagnostic validity, adult assessment, and phenotypic stratification. Front Psychiatry. 2026; 17: 1917652.

The reported prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen dramatically over the past two decades. Although increased awareness, broader diagnostic criteria, and improved access to assessment have corrected historical under-identification, this diagnostic expansion also raises a significant methodological concern: the risk of diagnostic dilution. Increasingly, surveillance systems and clinical cohorts may include individuals whose phenotypic profiles, developmental histories, and functional impairments do not fully align with a developmentally anchored neurodevelopmental presentation of ASD. This challenge is particularly acute in adolescent and adult assessments, where developmental history may be incomplete and standardized instruments or self-report measures may show limited specificity when applied to clinically complex psychiatric populations. Conflating developmentally anchored ASD with partially overlapping clinical phenotypes may reduce the signal-to-noise ratio in genetic, biomarker, neuroimaging, and therapeutic research, contributing to findings that are difficult to replicate or interpret. To preserve diagnostic validity, this Perspective argues that best-estimate clinical diagnosis must be grounded in rigorous developmental anchoring, collateral information, and judicious clinical judgment. It further proposes a set of core stratification domains for systematic phenotypic stratification, including age at first concern and diagnosis, biological sex and sex-related ascertainment factors, language and cognitive trajectories, adaptive functioning, intellectual disability, psychiatric comorbidities, ascertainment source, diagnostic instruments used, collateral developmental documentation, and support needs and functional impairment across contexts and over time. Stratification should not be understood as a restriction on clinical access, but as a scientific requirement for meaningful prevalence estimates and biologically informative autism research.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

10. Imran MA, Mohebbi M, Wright CR, Williams RJ, Saffery R, Craig JM, Stephenson G. Maternal and neonatal cytokine profiles in a twin cohort: evidence from an exploratory pilot study of perinatal immune dysregulation in autism. Pediatr Res. 2026.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been linked to immune dysregulation during early development, yet few studies jointly examine maternal pregnancy and cord blood (CB) cytokines in relation to later diagnosis. METHODS: In a nested case-control design within the Peri/Postnatal Epigenetic Twins Study, we measured 19 cytokines in maternal pregnancy serum (~28 weeks) and CB at birth. Participants included autism cases (n = 15), controls (n = 72), mothers of autism cases (n = 11), and control mothers (n = 36). In this exploratory pilot study, CB cytokine-autism associations were analyzed using generalized estimating equations, maternal cytokines using logistic regression, and maternal-cord associations using linear mixed-effects models. False discovery rate (FDR) correction was applied. RESULTS: Elevated CB IL-1α (p = 0.038), IL-5 (p = 0.036), IL-12p40 (p = 0.016), and GM-CSF (p = 0.016) were significantly associated with autism following FDR correction. Combined, these cytokines demonstrated apparent discriminatory ability (AUC = 0.93; 95% CI 0.85-1.0) within the study sample. No maternal pregnancy cytokines were independently associated with autism. Maternal-cord analyses revealed cytokine‑specific coupling differences, particularly for IL-1α and IL-5 (both p = 0.008, FDR corrected). CONCLUSION: Selective CB cytokine differences at birth are associated with later ASD diagnosis, supporting a role for perinatal immune signaling in neurodevelopment. Replication in larger cohorts is recommended for further validation. IMPACT: In twins, cord blood cytokine signatures at birth are associated with autism diagnosis at 6 years. Elevated IL‑1α, IL‑5, IL‑12p40 and GM‑CSF characterize autism cases and show strong individual‑level discriminative performance. Combined cord blood cytokines can discriminate autism from controls, highlighting potential biomarker utility. Different maternal-cord cytokine coupling suggests disrupted late‑gestation immune signaling relevant to neurodevelopment.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

11. Lee SH, Park SY. South Korean immigrant parent and sibling perspectives on physical activity participation among adults with autism spectrum disorder. Res Dev Disabil. 2026; 175: 105346.

BACKGROUND: Although physical activity (PA) participation can promote physical health, social interaction, behavioral regulation, and overall quality of life among adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), South Korean immigrant parents and siblings may face distinctive challenges in supporting PA participation due to caregiving responsibilities, cultural and linguistic barriers, and limited access to supportive community-based resources. METHOD: Guided by Family Systems Theory, this descriptive multiple-case study examined parent and sibling perspectives from four South Korean immigrant families, with each case including one parent and one sibling of an adult with ASD. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, demographic questionnaires, and the researcher’s reflective journal. Within-case and cross-case analyses were used to identify patterns across parent and sibling accounts related to PA participation. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: parents’ and siblings’ beliefs about the value of PA, parent and sibling burden in supporting PA, and contextual barriers to PA access. Although parents and siblings viewed PA as important, sustained participation was constrained by limited knowledge and confidence, caregiving overload, sibling role strain, reduced post-school opportunities, limited autism-friendly programs, and cultural and linguistic barriers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the need for culturally responsive PA supports that acknowledge parents’ and siblings’ roles within the family context, address post-school barriers to PA access, and expand sustainable community-based opportunities for adults with ASD.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

12. Lin Y, Di Michele L, Gray F, Jerjen F, Jimenez YA. An Exploration of Australian Radiographers’ Perceptions of and Experiences With Imaging Autistic People. J Med Radiat Sci. 2026.

INTRODUCTION: Autistic individuals referred for medical imaging examinations may face barriers without appropriate adjustments. Strengthening the relationship between patients and the healthcare system is crucial, as positive patient experiences can improve adherence and future engagement with healthcare services. This study explored Australian radiographers’ experiences and perceptions of imaging autistic patients. Terminology preferences among autistic individuals vary across countries, communities and individuals. This paper adopts identity-first language, ‘autistic person’ or ‘autistic patient’, aligned with recommendations from Australian organisations and medical imaging researchers. METHODS: Semi-structured online interviews were conducted via Zoom with 10 diagnostic radiographers. Anonymised transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to identify patterns of meaning across participants’ experiences. RESULTS: All radiographers (n = 10) reported experience performing medical imaging procedures for autistic patients. Four themes were identified: (1) Educational resources and recommendations, (2) Organisational factors affecting radiographic practice, (3) Patient and carer factors affecting radiographic practice, and (4) Key strategies that facilitate positive patient care. CONCLUSION: Although radiographers lacked formal training specific to caring for autistic individuals, they attributed positive patient experiences to their patient-centred approach, existing knowledge, communication skills, teamwork, and personal attitudes. Radiographers expressed interest in targeted training and remain committed to high-quality patient care. Improving the accessibility of radiology departments through collaboration with autism organisations and the broader community is essential to support better imaging experiences for all patients. Future research should prioritise the perspectives of autistic individuals and their families to comprehensively understand their medical imaging experiences and identify the range of meaningful, patient-defined indicators of quality care.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

13. Ma T, Jia L, Feng A, Zhang Q, Li L, Qin Y, Hao S. Test-retest reliability of motion capture technology for assessing balance in children with autism spectrum disorder. Front Neurol. 2026; 17: 1821167.

BACKGROUND: Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often show balance impairments that may affect motor development. Portable motion capture may provide quantitative balance indices, but its test-retest reliability in pediatric ASD remains unclear. RESEARCH QUESTION: This study evaluated seven-day test-retest reliability of a portable marker-based motion capture system for head-sway-derived balance indices in children with ASD and described exploratory unadjusted differences from typically developing (TD) children. METHODS: Twenty-two children (11 ASD, 11 TD) completed long-sitting, eyes-open standing, and eyes-closed standing balance tests using head-mounted reflective markers. Outcomes were mediolateral sway amplitude (Dx), anteroposterior sway amplitude (Dy), and 95% confidence ellipse area (Area). Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients, standard error of measurement, and Bland-Altman plots. Between-group analyses were exploratory because the groups were not matched by age or sex. RESULTS: In children with ASD, Dy showed good reliability (ICC = 0.77-0.87; SEM = 1.98-3.19), with the highest reliability in long sitting (ICC = 0.87). Dx showed poor to moderate reliability (ICC = 0.45-0.69), and Area showed moderate to good reliability (ICC = 0.65-0.77). Exploratory comparisons showed larger sway values in the ASD group, but these results may reflect baseline age and sex differences. SIGNIFICANCE: The system reproducibly measured anteroposterior head-sway in children with ASD, particularly in long sitting. Further validation against reference balance measures and larger age- and sex-matched studies is needed before diagnostic or discriminative use.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

14. Moseley RL, Gamble-Turner JM, Kim E, Spencer C. Autism, ADHD and the menopause. Post Reprod Health. 2026: 1-11.

There is increasing awareness that neurodivergent people, particularly those who are autistic or have ADHD (ADHDers), may have a particularly difficult time during menopause. The menopausal transition can amplify aspects of neurodivergence which make everyday life challenging, and can exacerbate co-occurring mental and physical health conditions which are highly likely in these populations. In this article, we provide practical guidance for healthcare professionals towards understanding: the key features of autism and ADHD, and their relevance to a menopause context; what difficulties autistic people and ADHDers might experience during menopause; optimal management of symptoms in these neurodivergent patients, and how best to support them; and how to recognise undiagnosed individuals, and what to do next.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

15. Nazneen S, Ibarra-Mejia G, Mahmud S, Ojo B, Khanjani N, Jeon S, Gill TE, Hossain MF, Duarte-Gardea MO. Prenatal exposure to particulate matter (PM) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rev Environ Health. 2026.

The global surge in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) cases, coupled with evidence linking prenatal Particulate Matter (PM) exposure to developmental disruption, demands a comprehensive review to design targeted health interventions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to evaluate the strength and consistency of evidence linking prenatal PM exposure to ASD across studies, quantifying this relation to identify actionable environmental risk thresholds. This study employed PRISMA protocols to systematically extract and evaluate evidence from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ScienceDirect (2010-2024), and screened 4,013 articles to identify qualified case-control and cohort studies (n=29). Data synthesis employed random-effects modeling, accompanied by comprehensive assessment through I(2) statistics, Q-tests, funnel plots, Duval and Tweedie’s trim-and-fill analysis, and Egger’s regression, to ensure validity. A meta-analysis of 16 case-control studies revealed a 34 % increased risk of ASD associated with prenatal PM exposure (pooled OR=1.34; 95 % CI: 1.13-1.54), despite substantial between-study heterogeneity (I(2)=94.02 %, p<0.001). Publication bias was not significant (Egger's test p value=0.114). Critical trimester-specific analysis uncovered that third-trimester exposure significantly increased ASD risk (OR=1.17; 95 % CI: 1.01-1.34), while first-trimester (OR=1.02; 95 % CI: 0.92-1.11; I(2)=49.18 %, p<0.10) and second-trimester exposures (OR=1.13; 95 % CI: 0.88-1.38; I(2)=92.59 %, p<0.001) showed non-significant associations. This review identified prenatal and early life exposure to PM as a risk factor for ASD, indicating a trimester-specific vulnerability. It highlighted the necessity of focused air quality interventions and targeted guidance to reduce prenatal PM exposure to alleviate ASD risk during the critical-window.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

16. Nguyen KP, Pecora L, Hooley M, Stokes MA. Double Disadvantage? Wellbeing Among Vietnamese Migrant Parents of Autistic Children. J Autism Dev Disord. 2026.

BACKGROUND: Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) parents of autistic children typically report poorer mental health, yet their subjective wellbeing (SWB) remains poorly understood. This study examined SWB among Vietnamese migrants (VM), one of Australia’s more socioeconomically disadvantaged CALD groups, focusing on those raising autistic children, and compared them with general population (GP) parents. PROCEDURE: Participants were 487 Australian-residing parents (M(age) = 40.0, SD = 7.12, 71.9% female, 136 having an autistic child), including 197 VM parents. SWB was measured first, followed by mental health and demographic information, using an anonymous online survey available in English or Vietnamese. Hierarchical regression tested whether being VM, having an autistic child, or their interaction predicted SWB, controlling for income. RESULTS: Having an autistic child was associated with lower SWB (b = -4.59, SE = 1.97, t = -2.23, p = .020) while being VM alone predicted higher SWB (b = 3.71, SE = 1.62, t = 2.29, p = .022). However, their interaction was significant and negative (b = -7.68, SE = 3.00, t = -2.56, p=.011), indicating that VM parents of autistic children had the lowest SWB among all comparison groups. This result remained significant even after controlling for stress and depression. CONCLUSION: VM parents of autistic children experience markedly lower SWB than their GP counterparts, despite reporting lower psychological distress. These findings highlight culturally specific unmet needs and underscore the urgency of culturally responsive support for CALD families. Research using culturally-appropriate methodologies is essential to advance understanding of SWB in CALD communities.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

17. Oberman LM, Veatch OJ, Peters SU, Kaufmann WE. Profiles of sleep disturbances in Angelman, Prader-Willi, and Rett syndromes: analysis of standardized questionnaires. Front Neurol. 2026; 17: 1854819.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are at increased risk of having sleep difficulties. A variety of sleep problems have been reported in Angelman syndrome (AS), Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), and Rett syndrome (RTT). The present study intended to expand an earlier characterization of sleep difficulties in a large AS, PWS, and RTT sample by analyzing subscales of standardized sleep questionnaires. METHODS: Scores from children (2-18 years) with AS (n = 74), PWS (n = 90) or RTT (n = 241) on components of the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ), the Sleep-Related Breathing Disorder (SRBD) scale, and the Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS) were compared between NDDs and with those from a group of neurotypical siblings (n = 282). Additional comparisons of scores after a 12-month follow-up evaluation, in a subset of individuals, were also performed. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests and, for changes over time, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. RESULTS: Comparisons with neurotypical children showed that night waking and snoring were increased in the three NDDs while parasomnias and daytime sleepiness only in AS and RTT. Children with RTT also had the highest scores on measures of disordered breathing. At the 12-month follow-up, scores decreased in neurotypical children but had variable courses in the NDDs, with increased disordered breathing scores characterizing AS and RTT. There was high agreement among disordered breathing measures, but not among daytime sleepiness scales. Overall, CSHQ scores were relatively stable within NDDs. CONCLUSION: Sleep questionnaires revealed disorder-specific profiles of sleep problems that could assist in their identification and management. The CSHQ and the SRBD, including their subscales, appear to be consistent measures particularly for sleep-disordered breathing and, therefore, suitable for clinical and research use in severe NDDs. Follow-up studies should expand the range of instruments to include objective measures in the characterization of sleep abnormalities in AS, PWS, and RTT.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

18. Otsuka S, Oe S, Yamada S, Kumoi H, Suwabe R, Iwane T, Tsurumi K, Murai T. Different effects of social cognitive skills training in schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder: A rater-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2026.

AIM: Schizophrenia (SCZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are both characterized by social cognitive impairments that strongly predict poor functional outcomes. However, evidence-based social cognitive interventions have been developed only for SCZ. This study investigated the feasibility and efficacy of social cognitive skills training (SCST), focusing on both common and different effects on SCZ and ASD. METHODS: Forty-seven adults with SCZ and/or ASD were randomly assigned to SCST (n = 24) or a treatment-as-usual control (CON; n = 23). The Japanese version of SCST developed for this study comprised weekly 2-h group sessions over 6 weeks and targeted two social cognition levels: lower-level emotional processing and higher-level theory of mind. Blinded raters assessed social cognition, neurocognition, clinical symptoms, and functioning at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-week follow-up. RESULTS: SCST significantly improved facial emotion perception across diagnoses and demonstrated a trend-level ASD-specific improvement in theory of mind. These effects were maintained and generalized to improved global functioning only for ASD at follow-up. High attendance and positive participant feedback in both groups indicated the intervention’s feasibility. CONCLUSION: This study provides initial evidence supporting the feasibility and efficacy of social cognitive interventions as a transdiagnostic approach for SCZ and ASD and is the first to show functional benefits in adults with ASD. The findings highlight both shared and disorder-specific mechanisms of social cognitive impairments and support the development of hybrid interventions that integrate transdiagnostic core components with tailored, diagnosis-sensitive modules for diverse psychiatric populations. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study protocol was preregistered on the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000041619; https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000047105; September 7, 2020).

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

19. Pini N, Shuffrey LC, O’Reilly Sparks KC, Marin AT, D’Amato CL, Dambreville R, Hu Y, Siegel RN, Brown HR, Azad GF, Muhle RA, Koval-Burt CL, Shen Y, Wall MM, Kanne SM, Lebowitz MS, Fifer WP, Appelbaum PS, Amso D, Chung WK, Veenstra-VanderWeele J. Rationale and Methods for the Prospective Genetic Risk Evaluation and Assessment (PROGRESS) in Autism Center at Columbia University. Pediatr Res. 2026.

BACKGROUND: Autism is most often diagnosed after the age of 3, despite evidence that neurodevelopmental differences emerge within the first 2 years of life and that genetic and familial risk can be identified at birth. METHODS: Established in September 2022 (anticipated duration of 5-7 years), the Prospective Genetic Risk Evaluation and Assessment (PROGRESS) in Autism Center is an ongoing longitudinal cohort study designed to characterize early developmental trajectories associated with autism and evaluate the impact of providing genetic information to families. RESULTS: Infants who undergo genomic newborn screening and enroll in PROGRESS are followed from 3 to 24 months of age and categorized into three groups: identified genetic probability (IGP), familial likelihood without identified genetic probability (Baby Siblings), and no identified genetic probability (NGP). Assessments include electroencephalography, electrocardiography, auditory, eye tracking, developmental testing, caregiver-infant interaction, and caregiver-reported measures. Autism screening is conducted at 18 months, with comprehensive diagnostic evaluation at 24 months. Caregiver psychosocial experiences of receiving early genetic information are assessed through surveys and interviews. CONCLUSION: By integrating genomic probability with early neurobehavioral development and family experiences, PROGRESS provides a framework to inform ethical genomic screening, developmental monitoring, and timely access to early intervention supported by a family navigator. IMPACT: This study presents the rationale and methods of the ongoing Prospective Genetic Risk Evaluation and Assessment (PROGRESS) in Autism Center at Columbia University, which began in September 2022 (anticipated duration of 5-7 years). PROGRESS is a prospective longitudinal cohort assessing infants with identified genetic probability, familial likelihood, or no identified genetic probability for autism from 3 to 24 months of age. By linking early genetic probability with brain-behavioral trajectories, PROGRESS advances understanding of autism-related differences before clinical diagnosis and provides an empirically grounded foundation for ethical genomic newborn screening and optimized early developmental monitoring and intervention.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

20. Ram K, Hill M, Stewart C, Hardy K, Khurana S. Organized sports-based interventions and motor outcomes in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2026.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of organized sports-based interventions on motor outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHOD: Four databases were searched from inception to November 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized controlled trials (NRCTs) reporting motor outcomes of organized sports-based interventions in children with ASD. Risk of bias was evaluated using ROB-2 (Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool, Version Two) for RCTs and ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies – of Interventions) for NRCTs. RESULTS: Eleven studies (six RCTs, five NRCTs) were included and categorized as martial arts (n = 5), aquatic training (n = 2), gymnastics and trampoline (n = 3), and other sports (n = 2); one study was included under both martial arts and aquatic categories. Interventions most consistently improved balance (d = 0.18-4.99), locomotor skills (d = 0.63-2.02), total motor scores (d = 0.61-3.90), and object control skills (d = 1.10-3.83), with effects predominantly moderate to large across martial arts and aquatic training. Risk of bias was high in five RCTs and of some concern in one; among NRCTs, four were serious risk and one critical risk. INTERPRETATION: Organized sports-based interventions may improve gross motor skills in children with ASD, with martial arts and aquatic training demonstrating the most consistent benefits; however, overall certainty of evidence is limited, and higher-quality studies are needed.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)

21. Shukla V, Jaswal V, Arunachalam S. Linguistic accommodation made by non-autistic speakers in response to being told the listener is autistic. Acta Psychol (Amst). 2026; 269: 107434.

Many people simplify their speech to accommodate listeners who may face comprehension difficulties, including older adults and non-native speakers, giving rise to registers such as Elderspeak and Foreigner-Directed Speech. Given the communication difficulties autistic people experience and prevalence of negative stereotypes about their communicative competence, they may also be recipients of simplified speech. Indeed, many anecdotal accounts from autistic individuals report this experience, but this has not been systematically investigated. In the current pre-registered study, we investigated whether non-autistic speakers similarly modified their speech in interactions with listeners who disclosed they were autistic. We used the Map Task paradigm; 33 participants (mean age = 36 years) gave verbal instructions to a confederate in two conditions: one in which the confederate disclosed being autistic and the other in which they did not. Participants did not show evidence of linguistic accommodation toward the autistic listener on any of the linguistic measures we coded for, including speech rate, syntactic complexity (e.g., MLU), semantic complexity (e.g., type-token ratio) and discourse features (e.g., repetitions). Although there was no average difference on these measures between the autistic and non-autistic listener conditions, exploratory analyses showed that more positive attitudes toward autism were associated with lower degree of accommodation to the autistic listener on one measure, MLU. No associations were found between level of contact and degree of accommodation. These findings suggest that an autism label alone does not cue linguistic accommodations, and that more positive attitudes toward autism may reduce the likelihood of linguistically accommodating autistic listeners.

Lien vers le texte intégral (Open Access ou abonnement)