There have been significant efforts to develop, adapt, and test interventions targeting the co-occurring mental health conditions common among autistic youth, with several extant narrative and systematic reviews demonstrating the efficacy of these interventions. Yet, a methodological analysis of the literature testing these interventions,…

Self-determination (SD) is linked to autonomy and better adult outcomes. Adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are often less independent than cognitively matched peers. Given the frequency with which depression co-occurs in ASD and the established association between depression and SD, we sought to evaluate the influence of both ASD severity…

The rate of college students with disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders (D/MH) is steadily increasing across the U.S. However, despite available services and supports, the outcomes of these students lag behind their peers without D/MH. Further, little is known about the needs of students with D/MH, including barriers they…

The current study explores functioning in individuals with co-occurring Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome (ASD+DS; n = 23), individuals with ASD and cognitive impairment (ASD+ID; n = 99) and individuals with idiopathic ID (n = 38). ANCOVA results revealed that individuals with ASD+DS showed strengths in behavioral functioning compared to…

Background: People with intellectual disability often receive diagnoses which may complicate their clinical care. Among these, personality disorder diagnoses are still considered contentious. Little is also known on the perspectives of staff caring for people with intellectual disability who have received a personality disorder diagnosis. Methods:…

There is an ongoing debate as to whether autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is expressed differently in women than men. It is unclear whether differences found are specific to autism or merely reflecting normative development. In this study, we compared sex differences in developmental trajectories of autistic and co-occurring psychopathological…

Introduction: Mental health assessment in autistic individuals with intellectual disabilities may be challenging. Findings from non-autistic samples indicate overlap between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and psychotic disorder/schizophrenia, but little is known about this potential overlap in autistic people. Methods: Explorative,…

This study evaluated the comorbidity rates of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with functional neurological disorders (FNDs). A systematic review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. A subset of data was suitable for meta-analysis of proportions. Studies which assessed either…

This study aimed to examine the mental health and social-emotional skills of individuals with mathematics difficulties (MD), reading difficulties (RD), and comorbid difficulties (MDRD) in China. Students with MD (n = 35), RD (n = 27), MDRD (n = 43), and typically-developing peers (TD, n = 167) completed the Children's Depression Inventory, the…

There has been a heightened awareness of an increased risk of suicidality among individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to high rates of suicidal ideation (SI) in this population (11-66%). The current study investigated the rate of parent-endorsed SI and associated clinical features in 48 youths with ASD (Age; M: 12.97 years, SD:…

A growing understanding of twice-exceptional (2e) students has caused many to consider the possibility of misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses in the gifted student. Despite this, auditory processing disorders (APD) and vision processing disorders (VPD) are seldom examined in the 2e research literature, yet are not uncommon in the 2e population.…

Friends are an important part of adolescent development. Autistic adolescents with a co-occurring ADHD diagnosis may struggle with the social communication skills necessary to make friends (i.e., verbal initiations and on-topic responses) due to the characteristics of both disorders. This study used an alternating treatment design to compare a…

Autism is a lifelong condition characterized by repetitive and restrictive behaviors and differences in social communication. The reported prevalence of autism has risen exponentially in the past years. Early identification and subsequent early intervention are key to promoting better outcomes for autistic individuals. However, there is a dearth…

Introduction: The preferences of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) often remain unfulfilled since it stays challenging to decode their idiosyncratic behavior resulting in a negative impact on their quality of life (QoL). Physiological data (i.e. heart rate (variability) and motion data) might be the missing piece…

Inpatient hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC) among beneficiaries with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were examined using Medicaid and commercial claims from 2010-2014 in New Hampshire. IDD was defined with "International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition, Clinical…