Given that autistic children are hospitalized at higher rates than neurotypical peers, it is important to understand the autism-specific preparedness of healthcare providers. Certified Child Life Specialists (CCLSs) play a crucial role in pediatric hospitalizations by providing socioemotional support and coping strategies. The present study…

Purpose: Autistic children are reported to display higher levels of externalizing and internalizing behaviors than neurotypical children, and their parents report more stress than parents of neurotypical children. It is unclear whether child behavior difficulties contribute to increased parenting stress, whether parenting stress contributes to…

The aim of the study was to evaluate the significance of the severity of autistic traits, behavioural difficulties, prosocial behaviour and temperamental characteristics in children for parental self-efficacy and parental satisfaction in two groups of parents: parents of autistic children, and parents of neurotypical children. Data come from…

While externalizing behaviors are common among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a shortage of specialist community-based clinicians to provide treatment. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an intervention designed to reduce child disruptive behaviors, may be effective for families of children with ASD but has rarely…

Little is known about the attributional patterns of caregivers of autistic children, particularly in relation to caregivers of children with other developmental or behavioral disorders. This study examined differences in caregiver attributions of child behavior between three groups: toddlers with (1) Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ASD concerns;…

This was an exploratory cross-sectional study comparing 45 children with ASD to 24 typically developing drug-naïve controls, group-matched on age, sex, and body mass index. Objective data was obtained using the following: an ambulatory circadian monitoring device; saliva samples to determine dim light melatonin onset (DLMO): and three…

We conducted an overview of reviews to determine the effects of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs; Schreibman et al. (2015) J Autism Dev Disorders 45:2411-2428) on children with autism spectrum disorder under 8 years old. We conducted an electronic database search of Academic Search Premier, CINHAL, ERIC, Medline, and APA…

Emotion dysregulation is one of the challenges that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families face. It is unclear whether emotion dysregulation plays a mediating role in the relationship between sensory processing patterns and problem behaviors among these children. This study examined the relations between emotion…

Purpose: The study objective was to determine if the validated Behavioral Inflexibility Scale (BIS) is sensitive to the detection of developmental changes in inflexibility in a sample of autistic children. Methods: Parents of autistic children (n = 146, 3-17 years) completed the BIS at two time points, one year apart, to examine change. Results:…

Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often report higher rates of depression and the related negative thought patterns that may precede a clinical diagnosis. These negative thought patterns are referred to as depressive cognitions. Depressive cognitions are exacerbated by child problem behaviors (CPB) but may be impacted by…

This study explores the experiences of siblings of autistic adolescents within families. Without the novel insights generated from engaging with siblings of autistic adolescents within a qualitative framework, it can be challenging to develop strategies for practicing effectively with this group or structuring interventions with these families.…

Impairments in executive function (EF) among individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their association with negative academic, adaptive, and social functioning outcomes have been widely reported over the past 20 years. However, there remains a lack of understanding of EF in autism during the preschool period, an age at which several crucial…

The current study explored similarities and differences in parenting stress (PSI) and behaviours in parent reports of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attachment disorder (AD). 155 parents whose children had developmental delays and disorders completed the social communication questionnaire, Randolph attachment questionnaire, strengths and…

We examined the relations of restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB; insistence on sameness, repetitive sensory-motor, self-injurious behavior) to social skills overall and aspects that comprise social skills as measured by the VABS-II (coping skills, play/leisure time, interpersonal relationships) in 24- (n = 63) and 36-month old (n = 35),…

The heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) clinically and aetiologically hinders intervention matching and prediction of outcomes. This study investigated if the behavioural, sensory, and perinatal factor profiles of autistic children could be used to identify distinct subgroups. Participants on the autism spectrum aged 2 to 17 years and…