Understanding Research

In knowledge lies power…

It is not often that the parent, teacher, or friend of a person with autism spectrum disorder is also a scientist. Whether you’re a lawyer or a plumber, a homemaker or a musician, making sense of autism research may seem a daunting task. Learning to understand and evaluate autism research, however, is easier than you might think, and well worth the effort. Becoming a knowledgeable consumer of research will empower you as you advocate for a person with an ASD.

Become an Informed Consumer of autism Research

• Why Care About Autism Research? This IAN article explains why research matters — and why it takes so long.
• Lather, rinse, repeat: The importance of long-term studies in autism. Why it's necessary to study autism over time.
• This Just In: Autism Is Caused by [Fill in the Blank] Bombarded by conflicting headlines about autism? This article by IAN tries to help you make sense of it all.
• Understanding Research: An Autism Researcher Answers Your Questions Dr. J. Kiely Law, an autism researcher and parent, explains the research process.

The following articles are presented courtesy of The Organization for Autism Research

• How to Be a Savvy Consumer of Sources of Autism Information
• Understanding the Science Model
• A Uniform Framework for Evaluating Research Studies
• Gold Standard of Evidence: The Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)

Autism Theories

What scientific theories exist to explain the development and occurrence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and the behavior of people with ASD?

• Mothers' Diabetes Linked to Risk of Autism
• Researchers Look for Clues to Autism in the Environment
• ASDs: Exploring Pregnancy and Birth Factors
• Prevalence: How Many People Have an ASD?
• The Extreme Male Brain Theory of Autism
• Cognitive Theories Explaining ASDs
• Insights from Genetics
• Insights from Neuroscience
• Environmental Aspects

Get to know Researchers

Profiles of the people making discoveries, such as Drs. Catherine Lord, Raphael Bernier, Louis Reichardt, and more.