Firstly, an editorial from our special issue editors (including @kbottemabeutel.bsky.social and @dramypearson.bsky.social) introducing the social model in autism research journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10....

I'm very pleased that our new narrative review on autism in midlife and old age has now been published in the Annual Review of Developmental Psychology (by me and @proffrancescahappe.bsky.social). We cover a lot of topics... more below! Open access: doi.org/10.1146/annu... #AutRes

DON'T MISS! Verbal Collaboration in Same- & Mixed-Neurotype Groups of Autistic & Non-Autistic Adults by @sarah-foster.bsky.social et al examined verbal collaboration during a group tower-building task among autistic and non-autistic adults NEW FREE to Aug 28 www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/...

Really proud that @journalautism.bsky.social published this... ...but also flabbergasted that we are still having to refute this. www.sagepub.com/explore-our-...

Yes, autistic self-diagnosis is valid: "When we deny the validity of self-diagnosis, we fail to recognize how broken health care systems can be. We effectively restrict our support to those privileged to afford a formal diagnosis." @autisticb4mmr.bsky.social: thinkingautismguide.com/2019/04/the-...

“There is just too much going on there”: Nonverbal communication experiences of autistic adults. Our free paper led by my PhD student Holly Radford & @bronteweissman.bsky.social (adapted from her thesis) w/ Ashley deMarchena. Holly delivered talk on it: INSAR 2023. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Research opportunity: Understanding the Needs of Autistic Patients with Cancer This research is led by an Autistic or otherwise neurodivergent researcher/student. Neurodivergent people have been meaningfully involved. Ethics approved. Find out more: api.typeform.com/responses/fi...

Tips for Unmasking In case you are new to this topic, check out my previous posts on masking and how it can be difficult for neurodivergent people to tap into our authentic selves. Unmasking is not so simple - it might not be safe to let your true self show, and you might not even know what that…

A University of Cambridge geneticist has said the institution has "probably learned nothing" from the controversy surrounding Spectrum 10K, the abandoned autism study which looked to analyse the DNA of 10,000 autistic people.

#CRAEwebinar tomorrow 10th July 4pm bst Join Sarah Hampton as she shares with us research that asks, why do many autistic young people experience anxiety and depression, and what can help? www.eventbrite.co.uk...

New article out today: www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/... We examined verbal collaboration among autistic and non-autistic adults in same- and mixed-neurotype groups during a shared task.

Anyone can become disabled at any time. It’s one of the few minority groups you can always join. Even if you do everything “right”. Even if you’re young and healthy. Even if you “try hard” It’s not a moral failing. It’s a part of life. Engage in disability justice.

Are you struggling to know how to support your young Autistic person at school, and aren't sure how or what to ask for to help them? Join us! Neuro-Affirming Support For Your Autistic Young Person At School 11th June 8:30pm GMT+1 Free Workbook, E-Book Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/neuro-affi...

Apparently, Nathan Fielder references one of our studies in the latest episode of The Rehearsal. Finally, something to impress my friends and family!

Very VERY proud to have been part of this incredible piece of work Hundreds of paired and group interactions, exploring the double empathy problem in a large diverse sample.

I RAGED at this on the radio yesterday, and will repeat my mantra: you cannot (MUST NOT) ask people to develop 'resilience' or 'grit' against those things that are in your power to change. 'Develop resilience' so often means 'your disability is inconveniencing me, please be less disabled' 🧵

We found - Non-autistic people preferred interacting with non-autistic people - Autistic people preferred learning from autistic people - Mixed pairs had lower rapport - People who knew their interaction partners diagnostic status had better rapport than those who didn’t

What did we find? 1: Autistic and non-autistic groups shared the same amount of information as one another. Mixed groups also performed similarly. 2: People shared the same amount of information whether or not they knew they were in an autistic, non-autistic, or mixed group.

"findings demonstrate intact processing of basic reciprocal interactions in autism"?--based on "similar neural and behavioral patterns for autistic and non-autistic individuals when interacting with high and low synchronous virtual partners"? www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... free

pavpub.com/health-and-s... may be helpful for example. By Amy Pearson & Kieran Rose. "Autistic Masking". Research-based but very readable, and very important for any team working to 'normalise' autistic children. It is a very dangerous pursuit.

Excited to say that "Neurodiversity: A Very Short Introduction" written by myself and @suereviews.bsky.social is finally ready to preorder! Afaik the first general academic introduction covering the ND movement, ND studies, and applications of ND theory in practice. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

“The research from the University of Glasgow led by the team at the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory also found that the risk of dying from treatable causes was nine times higher in young adults (aged 25-34) with learning disabilities than young adults in the general population.”

Masking can be a way for autistic individuals to conceal their symptoms of autism. What is masking, and how does it affect people with autism? Read more: ferrygodmother.com/masking-in-a... #Neurodivergent #Neurodiversity #Autism #ADHD #AuDHD #TouretteSyndrome

it's me i'm mom

#AutINSAR Q3 The term "profound autism" threatens to become increasingly entranched, while its supporters may support the work of RFK Jr. to institutionalize and stigmatize etc. autistic people. Also, subtyping autism more broadly and AI-based diagnosis are not well-supported but may be abused.

At #INSAR2025, Alison Singer of @autismsciencefd.bsky.social publicly praised RFK Jr. for "shining a bright light" on high support autistics. No. RFK Jr. is going to wreak destruction in the lives of autistic people and families. We either oppose him wholly, or we will all suffer the consequences.

Bravo, young man! www.comicsands.com/autistic-boy...

ALT TEXT A big part of BlueSky's culture, going all the way back to early last year, has been about accessibility & inclusivity. Adding alt text on your photos/gifs takes seconds & helps bring people into the fold who are using screen readers/visual aids. You can be as short or long as you like!

A shoutout to the gender diversity panel at #INSAR2025 who attended despite safety concerns about international travel for transgender+ people. We at the Autism Community Issues and Experiences were impressed by your submission and are happy you delivered a strong panel on important autism research.

As an autism community we should be coming together to defend and support the services and supports that allow autistic people to live a life of their choosing - @drstevenkapp.bsky.social Thank you Dr. Kapp for your continued leadership and advocacy at #INSAR2025 and beyond

For too long, Autism has been explained from the outside. It's time to tell our own stories & embrace monotropism. Explore our Map of Monotropic Experiences Free open-source training in collaboration with @stimpunks.org Newsletter & find out more: autisticrealms.kit.com/posts/new-ma...

“None of these measures were developed by autistic people” Lauren Kenworthy, referring to the Ritvo, SRS, CAT, and others #INSAR2025

#INSAR2025 researchers, if you actually talk to autistic people of all ages, disability profiles, and communication profiles, you'll find that a non-innate commonality is … trauma. And as this is avoidable, this is one of the root areas from which all autism research should proceed. #neurodiversity

“Autistic people have been researched to death. We need to research autistic people back to life.” Grant Bruno. Fabulous.

Next, @drgrahamholmes.bsky.social presentation on the state of the science on peer-facilitated interventions for autistic people is up today. 12.30pm poster session in Hall 4A, poster 424.248

In the same session, @rachelcalderon.bsky.social will be presenting are autism knowledge, contact, and identification associated with rapport in real-world interactions among and between autistic and non-autistic adults? Hall 4a, 12.30pm today, poster 425.281

“Neurodiversity accepts and celebrates all ways of knowing” Dora Raymaker #INSAR2025

Nordahl: With proper support, there is no reason why autistic people with high support needs cannot participate in research. Not every attempt will be successful, but researchers should learn how to accommodate high-support autistic subjects so they can at least try to be included. #INSAR2025

Disappointed that Singer and Siegel doubled down on the importance of dividing the autistic community when asked what commonalities we can all come together and agree upon. @johnmarble.bsky.social your question was so poignant and appreciated! #INSAR2025 #autres

Neurodiversity is not a "denial of disability." It's terms like #ProfoundAutism "severe" or vague functioning levels which are a denial of complexity. Let's not reduce people's needs to one wholly inadequate word.

Singer’s repeated praise for RFK, Jr. and her statement that the Trump Administration is the first “in 20 years” to focus on nonspeaking autistic people and those with complex needs should raise alarms.

New article out on @theconversation.com on why many Autistic adults don't like puzzle pieces symbols being used to represent us: theconversation.com/why-the-auti... #Autism #ActuallyAutistic

"We’re facing a massive public health crisis because a disturbing number of people believe that autism is worse than illness or death. My neurology is the boogeyman behind a completely preventable plague in the making." @fodderfigure.bsky.social, at TPGA: thinkingautismguide.com/2025/03/im-a...

Today is the day I cried. The destruction of HHS and the CDC; the failson in charge of it all; the overwhelming loss of so many brilliant, dedicated people; the cruelty and disrespect with which it was done. Tomorrow is the day this profound sorrow renews my motivation.

On toileting: "I haven't seen anything that acknowledges that even when one can’t use a toilet, it doesn’t mean there aren’t critical skills one can work on. It's like... you're either using a toilet, or we neglect you completely." -Shubha Balabaer northstarandcompass.substack.com/p/on-moving-...

The burden narrative sucks: "Since the rest of the world tends to be unforgiving to kids who fall outside standard social operating parameters, it’s important that autistic kids are treated like people rather than works-in-progress by their own families." thinkingautismguide.com/2024/06/how-...

I have started a resource page about the importance of neuro-affirming language. Includes signposting, research, blogs & links to other glossaries-will be ongoing! What would you add? autisticrealms.com/neuro-affirm... @bryonyshannon.bsky.social @communicationfirst.bsky.social @dr-nicky.bsky.social

This is the event for anyone with an interest in Autistic wellbeing. bit.ly/autwellbeing #AutisticWellbeing #ActuallyAutistic #autism #Autistic #ADHD #AuDHD #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #MentalHealth

I’ve never seen it put so succinctly before! Even as a disabled person myself, I struggle a lot with internalized ableism. These 12 all two common narratives about disability can be difficult to unlearn, but that work is important. (Created by Jamie Shields, founder of Disabled By Society.)

New studies on how rapport differs between autistic & non-autistic ppl suggest having other autistic interactants is more important for autistics' ease, enjoyment: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/..., & social-motor synchrony is more important for non-autistics: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...