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.

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.