Sleep problems are common among children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). We review sleep disturbance in three major NDDs: autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). We review associations with functional impairment, discuss how patterns of sleep disturbance inform understanding of etiology, and…

Attitude of mothers towards their children's autism may play a role in mothers' psychological well-being. We investigated the predictive value of how mothers understand autism (as a neurodivergence or a developmental disorder) on their psychological distress. A group of 371 mothers of children on the autism spectrum participated in this study. We…

Reports of cybercrime being committed by people on the autism spectrum often imply that autism may be more prevalent among cybercriminals than the general population, although this remains unproven. In an online survey of 302 participants, we found that autistic individuals (n = 25) were more likely to report engagement in cybercrime than…

The Early Start Denver Model is an evidence-based, comprehensive naturalistic developmental behavioral intervention for young and very young children with autism spectrum disorder. This interdisciplinary model is suitable for the Taiwanese public health system. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of an Early Start Denver Model program…

Autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability are associated with psychiatric comorbidities, yet a 2009 study of US child and adolescent psychiatry program directors indicated that psychiatry residents receive insufficient training in autism spectrum disorder/intellectual disability. This follow-up study surveyed child and adolescent…

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have complex and unique needs that can impact their success. Evidence-based practices (EBPs) have been identified that are effective with this population, yet educators may not be adequately prepared to implement such EBPs. Special education administrators are frequently responsible for developing and…

In this retrospective cohort study using data from an integrated primary care and subspecialty network, we examined medical records of children seen in primary care at eligible autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening ages and followed through at least 4 years of age. We examined the prevalence of ASD; age of first documented ASD diagnosis; and…

Group social skills interventions (GSSIs) are among the most commonly used treatments for improving social competence in youth with ASD, however, results remain variable. The current study examined predictors of treatment response to an empirically-supported GSSI for youth with ASD delivered in the community (N[subscript total]=75). Participants…

Functional communication training (FCT) is a well-established, evidence-based practice used to address challenging behavior among individuals across settings, ages, and disability categories. However, the research is limited on the implementation of FCT in inclusive school settings for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The…

A descriptive case-study design was used to document the implementation of a four-phase intervention for a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who uses augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in an inclusive classroom. The focus of the intervention was on enhancing social communication through peer modelling of the child's…

Sleep problems are common in autistic children and adversely impact daytime functioning. Knowledge of predictive factors could help with treatment and prevention of these problems. This study aimed to determine predictors of sleep problems among young autistic children. Study cohorts consisted of autistic children aged 2-5 years who did not have…

The use of interactive technologies has been demonstrated to enhance verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as the social interaction tendencies of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We examined effects of using Virtual Voice Assistant (VVAs) in children with ASD with respect to two outcomes: speech skills and social interaction…

Coaching parents to use language facilitation strategies improves long-term language outcomes for autistic children. To optimize parent-mediated interventions, more studies need to explore factors that influence parents' learning. This study involved 119 autistic children (18-48 months) and their biological mothers enrolled in a single-site,…

Research regarding autistic children's sibling relationship quality is mixed, although some literature suggests poorer quality compared to children with other disabilities or who are neurotypical. Little is known about how the clinical characteristics of autistic children relate to parent perceptions of sibling relationship quality. We drew data…

This triple-arm, double-blind, randomized clinical trial investigated the effect of multisession prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on social functioning in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 105 individuals (age 14-21 years) diagnosed with ASD were randomized into the active-tDCS, sham-tDCS, and…