Open access article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/13623613261472939

Abstract

The increase in intervention diversity to improve core difficulties in autism has resulted in the development and proliferation of a variety of measures to assess change. The Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale has been recommended for use in pharmacological autism clinical trials to monitor individuals’ progress. No specific recommendations have been made for an outcome measure for psychosocial interventions. This review aimed to evaluate available evidence of a use of the CGI scale as an outcome measure in psychosocial interventions for autism characteristics. A systematic search of electronic databases identified 22 primary studies utilising the CGI scale to evaluate change across a range of social, communication and behavioural interventions for autistic people. The lack of consistency in the use of the measure was evident. This applied to the variety of constructs being measured, inconsistent application and scoring methods, which all limited the CGI scale’s reliability and validity. Despite the widespread use of the CGI scale in psychosocial clinical trials for autistic people, the lack of standardisation hampers conclusions regarding the evidence of its effectiveness in measuring change. Standardisation of the use of the CGI scale is essential to ensure comprehensive evaluation of interventions.

Lay Abstract

Many different therapies and supports exist to help autistic people with social, communication, and behavioural differences. To understand whether these interventions are working, researchers need good tools to measure change. One commonly used tool in medical studies is the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scale, which helps clinicians rate a person’s overall improvement. Although the CGI scale is recommended for autism medication studies, there are no clear guidelines for using it in psychosocial (non-medical) interventions. In this review, we looked at research studies that used the CGI scale to measure change after psychosocial interventions for autistic people. We found 22 studies that used the CGI scale in very different ways. The studies measured a wide range of skills and behaviours, and they often used the CGI scale differently from one another. This inconsistency makes it difficult to trust the results or compare findings across studies. Although the CGI scale is widely used, the lack of standard guidelines means it may not reliably show whether psychosocial interventions are effective. To improve research and ensure that interventions are properly evaluated, it is important to develop clear, standardised ways of using the CGI scale.

Citation: Glod, M., Grahame, V., & Rodgers, J. (2026). The Use of the Clinical Global Impressions Scale in Psychosocial Interventions for Autism Characteristics: A Systematic Review. Autism, 0(0).

Open access article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/13623613241255811

Abstract

There is an increasing focus on research exploring autistic communication and community. In this review, we systematically collate and analyse how autistic adults describe their experiences of other autistic people and the relationship this has with their Quality of Life (QoL). Fifty two qualitative papers were analysed using thematic meta-synthesis. Results found many experiences of other autistic people were positive and were associated with improved QoL across a range of domains. The heterogeneity of the autistic experiences described indicates a need for further research to explore which factors predict a positive impact on QoL. Analysis also highlighted a paucity of data on autistic people with co-occurring intellectual disability in relation to this phenomenon. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Lay abstract Research has suggested that autistic people enjoy spending time with other autistic people and find them easier to talk to. We wanted to find out what autistic people say about spending time with other autistic people and whether this makes their life better. We found 52 papers which described this and reviewed what they found. We found that many autistic people had positive experiences of spending time with other autistic people and these experiences had positive impact on their lives in a range of different ways. The papers did not tell us whether this also happens for autistic people with a learning disability. More research is needed to find out more about why spending time with other autistic people helps some autistic people.

Citation: Watts, G., Crompton, C., Grainger, C., Long, J., Botha, M., Somerville, M., & Cage, E. (2024). ‘A certain magic’ – autistic adults’ experiences of interacting with other autistic people and its relation to Quality of Life: A systematic review and thematic meta-synthesis. Autism, 29(9), 2239-2253. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613241255811 (Original work published 2025)

Open access article: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/27546330241233088?utm_source=researchgate.net&utm_medium=article

Abstract

Historically, autism research has focused on the overrepresentation of physical and mental health problems and decreased psychological well-being in autistic people without intellectual impairment. There is a paucity of studies emphasizing what positively contributes to the well-being of autistic people. In line with a recent shift toward investigating autistic health more comprehensively, we conducted a scoping review to map emerging data on autistic well-being within a biopsychosocial context.

Citation: Najeeb, P., & Quadt, L. (2024). Autistic well-being: A scoping review of scientific studies from a neurodiversity-affirmative perspective. Neurodiversity, 2. https://doi.org/10.1177/27546330241233088 (Original work published 2024)

Open access article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-025-07070-w

Abstract

Purpose

Studies have consistently shown that autistic individuals often find their interactions with healthcare professionals unhelpful, indicating unmet needs. This issue is exacerbated by healthcare professionals’ inadequate knowledge about autism and communication difficulties between healthcare professionals and autistic patients. This qualitative study sought to gain a deeper understanding of clinical encounters between healthcare professionals and autistic patients, from the perspectives of clinicians.

Methods

We conducted five in-depth focus groups with 20 experienced clinicians in Child and Adult Mental Health services in Norway. We used reflexive thematic analysis to analyze the data, using an inductive approach.

Results

We found that, overall, clinicians want to be respectful and flexible in their clinical encounters with their autistic patients. We also identified four themes, including that clinicians: 1) are attentive to the varied responses to diagnoses; 2) understand the importance of adapting their communication styles toward the needs of their autistic patients; 3) recognize the need for greater focus on quality of life and autonomy; and 4) acknowledge the significant role that parents play in autistic young people’s lives.

Conclusion

Although neurodiversity-affirming attitudes amongst clinicians are encouraging, whether they are demonstrated in practice needs further investigation. The findings indicate that support for autistic patients should be more comprehensive and persist for a longer time.

Citation: Øverland, E., Andersen, P.N., Skogli, E.W. et al. “One must think autism in everything one does”: Clinicians’ Experiences of Supporting Autistic Patients. J Autism Dev Disord (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07070-w

Open access article: https://inlibrary.uz/index.php/science-research/article/view/69598

Abstract

This article is aimed at diagnosing autism spectrum disorders among adolescentsusing computer technologies, improving modern medicine, increasing the significance of computertechnologies in our daily lives, and enhancing the efficiency of future medical professionals inworking with computer technologies

Citation: Atakhanov, S., & Yoqubjonova, D. (2025). THE ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF MODERN COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF AUTISM IN YOUNG CHILDREN. Modern Science and Research, 4(2), 1034–1038. Retrieved from https://inlibrary.uz/index.php/science-research/article/view/69598