Viewpoint

To guard against hype, scientists studying oxytocin’s role in autism and its potential as a treatment need to embrace robust theories, rigorous delivery methods and reproducible research practices.

The barriers to an autism diagnosis are especially challenging for women and girls. A big part of the problem is still the perception of autism as a ‘male’ condition.

Studies of autism treatments rarely report adverse events, and the scientists involved often fail to disclose their conflicts of interest.

With the election of Jessica Benham and others to U.S. state legislatures, autistic politicians stand poised to advocate for policy and research on priorities that matter most to them.

To address racial disparities in autism diagnosis and outcomes, we need more Black autism researchers and clinicians. Here are some tips to help recruit and train them.

Being bullied puts adolescents with autism at increased risk of suicide. Identifying and preventing bullying may help prevent suicides.

Looking for signs of autism in characters from history and literature can offer insight into society’s changing perceptions through time — but it can also increase the risk of stigma against people with the condition.

Surveys of parents’ impressions of their child’s emotional and behavioral problems can improve autism screening and shorten waitlists for diagnostic evaluations.

Interviews with autistic people reveal that many miss their friends and opportunities for social connection, in stark contrast to orthodox views that they have little social motivation and prefer a life of self-isolation.

Grouping autistic people based on their social abilities may reveal subtypes of the condition.