1. Hall CM, Culler ED, Frank-Webb A. Online Dissemination of Resources and Services for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) : a Systematic Review of Evidence. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 273-85.

As autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses continue to rise, traditional support services are unable to meet the demand. Parents are increasingly turning to online resources, which vary across a continuum of interactivity from passive online information seeking to highly interactive eHealth models, allowing engagement for parents in innovative ways. Although online resources may provide necessary opportunities for information dissemination, outreach, intervention, and support systems, there is cause for reservation. The current study summarizes results of a systematic review (N = 27 articles) of the evidence surrounding parent use of online resources. Recommendations for researchers to better leverage online tools for the advancement of service provision and child outcomes are discussed.

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2. Watts SJ, Rodgers J, Riby D. A Systematic Review of the Evidence for Hyporesponsivity in ASD. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 286-301.

Sensory modulation difficulties are common in children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Whilst both hyporesponsivity and hyperresponsivity have been established in ASD comparative to typically developing controls, it has been proposed that hyporesponsivity may distinguish the sensory profile of ASD from other neurodevelopmental conditions. This paper aimed to systematically evaluate evidence for a syndrome-specific profile of hyporesponsivity in individuals with ASD when compared to individuals from clinical comparison groups, evaluating 10 eligible papers. Support was cautiously identified for a syndrome-specific sensory profile of hyporesponsivity. Four factors that reduced variability in findings were as follows : chronological age, type of comparison group, sensory measure and quality of study. Whilst hyporesponsivity in ASD was identified, the use of poorly defined comparison groups, over-representation of children with ASD and intellectual disabilities, and younger age ranges complicate generalisation of this body of work. Recommendations for further research in this field are offered.

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3. Waterhouse L, London E, Gillberg C. ASD Validity. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 302-29.

ASD research is at an important crossroads. The ASD diagnosis is important for assigning a child to early behavioral intervention and explaining a child’s condition. But ASD research has not provided a diagnosis-specific medical treatment, or a consistent early predictor, or a unified life course. If the ASD diagnosis also lacks biological and construct validity, a shift away from studying ASD-defined samples would be warranted. Consequently, this paper reviews recent findings for the neurobiological validity of ASD, the construct validity of ASD diagnostic criteria, and the construct validity of ASD spectrum features. The findings reviewed indicate that the ASD diagnosis lacks biological and construct validity. The paper concludes with proposals for research going forward.

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4. Knutsen J, Wolfe A, Burke BL, Hepburn S, Lindgren S, Coury D. A Systematic Review of Telemedicine in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 330-44.

This paper provides a comprehensive and systematic review of telemedicine use in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 36 articles met inclusion criteria and comprise the final study sample. A majority of the articles included in this review (33) are pilot studies, single-case designs, or case studies/case reports. Three surveys and one randomized controlled trial were also included. Included literature generally supports the feasibility and potential effectiveness of using telemedicine to increase access to autism evaluations and specialist expertise as well as to deliver a variety of interventions to individuals with ASD and/or their caregivers and families. However, methodological rigor in some studies is insufficient to support strong conclusions about impact. There is a need for larger, randomized trials to better determine impact.

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5. Silbaugh BC, Penrod B, Whelan CM, Hernandez DA, Wingate HV, Falcomata TS, Lang R. A Systematic Synthesis of Behavioral Interventions for Food Selectivity of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 345-57.

This systematic review provides a synthesis of behavioral interventions for food selectivity (FS) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A multistep search strategy was employed to identify experimental studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 1984 and 2015. Thirty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Participant characteristics, study characteristics, and intervention outcomes were summarized and appraised to identify evidence-based practices. The results suggest that behavioral interventions of FS for children with ASD are often effective at improving feeding behavior (e.g., increasing acceptance and swallowing of target foods), but evidence for adequate reduction of mealtime challenging behavior is lacking, and the studies reviewed fell short of meeting a set of standards for evidence-based practices in special education. Treatment recommendations and directions for future research are discussed.

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6. Devi U, Kumar V, Gupta PS, Dubey S, Singh M, Gautam S, Rawat JK, Roy S, Yadav RK, Ansari MN, Saeedan AS, Kaithwas G. Experimental Models for Autism Spectrum Disorder Follow-Up for the Validity. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 358-76.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are often considered to be genetic. They are characterized by unificational behavioral abnormalities which are classified in two basic domains : social relations and social communication, and restricted and repetitive pattern of behaviors and activity. Clinical research has evidenced that genetic and environmental factors play a major role in the development of ASD, and it is contemplated to be a multifactorial as well. Augmentation in the field of molecular genetics and neuroscience allows the pharmacologist to explore more features of ASDs using genetic, humanoid, and nonhumanoid models. Hence, the present review was undertaken to elucidate the major concepts associated with the models of ASD, such as gene or chromosome incrimination ; face, predict, and construct validities ; behavioral assays ; and advantages and disadvantages of preclinical models along with constrains in developing genetic models for ASD.

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7. Mapes AR, Rosen LA. Equine-Assisted Therapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder : a Comprehensive Literature Review. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 377-86.

Equine-assisted therapy (EAT) is a therapeutic technique that has been examined for improving physical, emotional, social, cognitive, educational, and behavioral skills in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This literature review examines the usefulness of the approach for children diagnosed with ASD. The goal of the search strategy used was to include relevant scientific articles published examining EAT for children diagnosed with ASD. Of the 12 studies examined, 11 researchers demonstrated efficacy for increased physical and social functioning, communication, sensory sensitivity, sensory motivation, self-regulation, adaptive skills, motor skills, improved volition, as well as decreased aberrant behavior and severity of symptoms. The majority of the research documented improvements in functioning ; however, these conclusions were qualified by numerous factors that limit the interpretation of the results.

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8. Johnsson G, Lincoln M, Bundy A, Costley D. A Systematic Review of Technology-Delivered Disability Training and Support for Service Providers : Implications for Rural and Remote Communities. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 387-98.

Technology is a possible solution to increase the accessibility of disability training and support for service providers in rural and remote areas. We conducted a systematic review across five databases using terms related to technology, training and support, and autism and developmental disability. The search identified 1626 articles and ten satisfied all inclusion criteria. All studies reported positive outcomes and three studies found no significant differences between face-to-face and online modes of delivery. Limitations of the studies included small sample sizes, lack of control groups and infrequent use of randomisation. Therefore, whilst the use of online technology shows promise as an effective solution for rural and remote communities, there is currently weak evidence to support its use.

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9. Waddington H, van der Meer L, Sigafoos J. Effectiveness of the Early Start Denver Model : a Systematic Review (vol 3, pg 93, 2016). Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 399-.

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10. Chita-Tegmark M. Attention Allocation in ASD : a Review and Meta-analysis of Eye-Tracking Studies (vol 3, pg 209, 2016). Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 2016 ; 3(4) : 400-.

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