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ReActivities © are digital play sequences which encourage the integration of social, emotional and cognitive development in children on the autistic spectrum. High levels of anxiety in autistic ch...

A Dissertation Defense by Sneha Kohli Mathur. -Co-author: Adam Paul Valerius

The positive psychology and neurodiversity movements both aim to promote and improve wellbeing through strengths-based approaches. However, little is …

We’ve found monotropic theory to be a very helpful paradigm for a major swath of autistic experience, and the theory is supported by…

SEDSconnective are a symptomatic hypermobility neurodivergent expert-by-experience led, voluntary charity. We actively support some members with specialised therapies, activities and employment opportunities. As well as provide means for peer to peer communication and support.

Based on a review of the literature and on reports by people with autism, this paper suggests that atypical resource allocation is a factor that contributes to many aspects of autism spectrum conditions, including difficulties with language and social cognition, atypical sensory and attentional expe …

This chapter explores the play and friendships of autistic learners with a focus on neurodiversity-affirming models of empirically- and socially-validated

After decades of messy, thoughtless design choices, corporations are using artificial intelligence to sell basic usability back to consumers

Our AI Handbook investigates the transformative nature of ChatGPT and image generation software in the classroom, while cautioning the real ethical and societal concerns of using these tools. | A free resource hosted at Human Restoration Project on progressive education.

The 1909 incident may have cost the industry decades of progress – and the planet huge amounts of damaging carbon emissions.

The label "Profound autism" bungles the support needs of autistic people with complex disabilities, and will endanger autistic lives.

It has happened before, but there is nothing to compare it to now. Spirits of harm and lack; spirits of solidarity and abundance.

A long-term study by UC Davis Health researchers sheds new light on the relationship between autism traits and mental health in middle childhood. The paper, published in the journal Autism, finds that changes in core autism characteristics are related to whether children develop additional mental health challenges during their elementary school years.

Background Autistic adults have high risk of mental ill-health and some available interventions have been associated with increased psychiatric diagnoses. Understanding prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses is important to inform the development of individualised treatment and support for autistic adults which have been identified as a research priority by the autistic community. Interventions require to be evaluated both in terms of effectiveness and regarding their acceptability to the autistic community. Objective This rapid review identified the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in autistic adults, then systematic reviews of interventions aimed at supporting autistic adults were examined. A rapid review of prevalence studies was completed concurrently with an umbrella review of interventions. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed, including protocol registration (PROSPERO#CRD42021283570). Data sources MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Study eligibility criteria English language; published 2011–2022; primary studies describing prevalence of psychiatric conditions in autistic adults; or systematic reviews evaluating interventions for autistic adults. Appraisal and synthesis Bias was assessed using the Prevalence Critical Appraisal Instrument and AMSTAR2. Prevalence was grouped according to psychiatric diagnosis. Interventions were grouped into pharmacological, employment, psychological or mixed therapies. Strength of evidence for interventions was assessed using GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation). Autistic researchers within the team supported interpretation. Results Twenty prevalence studies were identified. Many included small sample sizes or failed to compare their sample group with the general population reducing validity. Prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses was variable with prevalence of any psychiatric diagnosis ranging from 15.4% to 79%. Heterogeneity was associated with age, diagnosis method, sampling methods, and country. Thirty-two systematic reviews of interventions were identified. Four reviews were high quality, four were moderate, five were low and nineteen critically low, indicating bias. Following synthesis, no intervention was rated as ‘evidence based.’ Acceptability of interventions to autistic adults and priorities of autistic adults were often not considered. Conclusions There is some understanding of the scope of mental ill-health in autism, but interventions are not tailored to the needs of autistic adults, not evidence based, and may focus on promoting neurotypical behaviours rather than the priorities of autistic people.

We must be proactive in teaching students how and when to use AI while taking a critical lens to how it works and its potential pitfalls.  Published by Human Restoration Project, a 501(c)3 organization restoring humanity to education.

It is a stereotype that autistic people have superior memories. This is not always true, especially when you factor in trauma. However, I always say that stereotypes come from somewhere, and this o…

If you have been on the autistic side of the internet in the past few months, then you are probably familiar with the word “monotropism”. Spelled with a lowercase m, it is the name of an autistic t…

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is one of the most misunderstood mental health diagnoses that exists. Misrepresentation in the media and everyday vernacular means that OCD has come to be understood as something that requires a meticulous attention to detail and love of order. The truth is far more upsetting for those who are diagnosed with

Learn to promote your own good mental health, celebrate individuality, strengths, and skills associated with autism, and recognise when you may need extra support. This course provides autistic people and those around them with the knowledge and skills to navigate the relationship between autism and positive mental health outcomes.

Autism consultation, education, and individual skill development

Autism is primarily defined by its deficits in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5, 1). However, autism can be defined as a natural, valuable part of human experience in which the ability to thrive depends on the match between the individual and their social context (2,3,4,5,6,7,8). Autistic strengths have been noted since autism was first defined (9). A growing body of literature has demonstrated how strengths in social communication, focused interests, stimming, sensory abilities, systems thinking, and cognition can be part of autism (10,11,12,13). Despite the neurodiversity movement, autism is still associated with stigma (14,15,16). Diagnostic evaluations often focus exclusively on problems without considering strengths (17,18). Most questionnaires, observational tools, and interview questions tabulate problems to determine if someone is autistic, but they miss the comprehensive view of what it means to be autistic. The autism diagnostic evaluation is a critical time in a person's life, with some individuals referring to it as the most important experience of their life (19,20). When an individual is first discovering they or their child is autistic, providing strengths-based information can counter stigma. Interactions with professionals can shape self-understanding and parental understanding of their child (21,22). Autism-specific strengths-based measures that allow clinicians to assess for autistic strengths during diagnosis are needed. ...

‘Autistic inertia’ is part of the Autistic community’s everyday lexicon, yet the condition has received scant attention in the academic literature. The little a...

These adults can warn parents about avoidable mistakes, and they can counter our assumptions about what it means to live a good life — even when that life is complicated.

Hello, I am Helen Edgar (Autistic Realms). As guest blog writer for this season’s summary of monotropism, I am sharing a round-up of published work, social media interest, and some updates from inside the Monotropism Discord server (please email Fergus Murray if you wish to join us). Monotropism-related academic research Wachholtz, D., Vidal, V., Latimer, […]

A thread on how to access journal articles, for people who don't have access via an employer... Obv open access is best, but in the meantime, here are some get-arounds, since I've seen a few folks on here struggling to locate articles / coming up against paywalls

Fossil Angels was written by Alan Moore in December 2002, and was to appear in KAOS #15. KAOS #15 never actually appeared, and the piece has been without a home since then. (More information about KAOS and why this wasn't published there in this article on Bleeding Cool.) I was lucky enough to be…