Executive function challenges are commonly reported in the home setting for children with an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis (hereafter, autism), but little is known about these challenges in the school setting. A total of 337 youth (autism, N = 241 and typically developing, N = 96) were assessed using Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive…

Executive functions are related to key outcomes. Studies of autistic youth self-report of other nonsocial traits indicate that their insights into their own functioning and internal experiences provide important information that is not captured by their parents' report, but youth self-report of executive function has not been researched in autism.…

Although commonly described on social media by autistic people, there is little recognition of autistic burnout in the academic literature. Anecdotally, autistic burnout is described as a debilitating condition that severely impacts functioning, is linked to suicidal ideation and is driven by the stress of masking and living in an unaccommodating…

Symptoms of restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests in autism are theoretically linked to executive functioning, which includes problem-solving abilities such as inhibition and cognitive flexibility. This study examined whether inhibition and flexibility are related to higher order restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests (e.g.…

Autistic children have difficulties in adapting their language for particular listeners and contexts. We asked whether these difficulties are more prominent when children are required to be cognitively flexible, when changing how they have previously referred to a particular object. We compared autistic (N = 30) with neuro-typical 5- to…

Autistic adults report concerns with social skills and unemployment. Despite anxiety and difficulty with executive cognitive skills being associated with autism, no studies to date have investigated relationships between anxiety or executive cognition with social and work functioning. This study aimed to investigate the associations between…

This randomized, controlled study examined the initial efficacy of an executive function training program for children with autism spectrum disorder. Seventy 7- to 11 year-olds with autism spectrum disorder and intelligence quotients [greater than or equal to]80 were randomly assigned to receive a web-based set of executive function training games…

The ability to deceive is a key milestone in social cognitive development for typically developing individuals. In this scoping review, we systematically searched the literature to summarise research on deceptive behaviour in autism and identify gaps in knowledge. Across the 28 studies identified, three main themes were synthesised, with seven…

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common comorbidities in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. However, the clinical implications of the co-occurrence of these two disorders are still poorly understood. Based on a preregistered protocol (PROSPERO CRD42020193880), this systematic review identified 34 articles,…

Autistic people have difficulties recalling episodic memories, including retrieving fewer or less specific and detailed memories compared to typically developing people. However, the ability to effectively recall episodic memories is crucial in many real-world contexts, such as the criminal justice system, medical consultations, and employment…

Sex differences in autism may in part be understood by an atypical sex profile of executive function and non-executive function. In this study, we compared females and males with autism against non-autistic individuals on neuropsychological and self-report measures to examine whether any sex differences in executive function and non-executive…

Although electrophysiological (electroencephalography) measures of executive functions (e.g. error monitoring) have been used to predict academic achievement in typically developing children, work investigating a link between error monitoring and academic skills in children with autism spectrum disorder is limited. In this study, we employed…

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by difficulties with social communication, with a preponderance in males. Evidence supports a relationship between metacognitive executive functions (e.g. planning, working memory) and social communication in autism spectrum disorder, yet relationships with specific metacognitive executive functions and…

Reduced empathy and alexithymic traits are common across the autism spectrum, but it is unknown whether this is also true for intellectually advanced adults with autism spectrum disorder. The aim of this study was to examine whether college students with autism spectrum disorder experience difficulties with empathy and alexithymia, and whether…

Thirty to 80% of children with autism spectrum disorder also have symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Many children with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder experience difficulties carrying out goal-directed behaviors, particularly when it comes to inhibiting responses. The aim of this study was…