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Autism spectrum disorder
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</section> </div> </div> <div class="megamenu-formatted-link"> <div class="rich-formatted-content"> <div class="rich-content"> <a title="Education and Career - index config" href="/education-career">All education and career<i class="fas fa-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> <li role="menuitem" class="megamenu-dropdown"> <a href="#" class="megamenu-tigger" data-toggle="320769" aria-label="toggle the News & Advocacy sub-menu">News & Advocacy</a> <div id="320769" class="megamenu-dropdown-menu"> <div class="container"> <div class="megamenu-header"> <h2>News and Advocacy</h2> <p>Browse the latest updates from APA, informed by psychological science.</p> </div> <div class="megamenu-grid thirds second-hidden"> <div class="megamenu-col"> <div class="megamenu-blocks" style="--megamenu-blocks-cols: repeat(1, 1fr)"> <div class="megamenu-block"> <h3>News</h3> <ul class="megamenu-block-links" style="--megamenu-block-links-cols: 1"> <li> <a 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</div> </a> </div> <div class="module last"> <a class="module-link" href="/news/press/releases/2024/11/texting-abbreviations-insincere" target="_self" > <figure class="left"> <img src="/images/index-press-texting-abbreviations-insincere_tcm7-333261_w160_n.jpg" alt="A man holding and looking at his smartphone"> </figure> <div class="body"> <p class="title"> Texting abbreviations makes senders seem insincere, study finds </p> </div> </a> </div> </div> </section> </section> </div> <div class="megamenu-col widget"> <section class="featureRichItem"> <section class="linkWidget tile square"> <h3>Advocacy</h3> <div class="widgetWrapper tileWidget onePerRow default "> <div class="module first last"> <a class="module-link" href="https://www.apaservices.org/advocacy" target="_self" > <div class="body"> <figure class="tile"> <img src="/images/tile-advocacy-national-institute-mental-health-group_tcm7-279430_w640_n.jpg" alt="Lady smiling"> </figure> <div class="desc"> <p class="title"> You can make a difference </p> <div class="wysiwyg lengthy"><p>Learn about key issues impacting psychologists today</p></div> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> </section> </section> </div> </div> <div class="megamenu-formatted-link"> <div class="rich-formatted-content"> <div class="rich-content"> <a title="news-index-config" href="/news">All News and advocacy<i class="fas fa-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> <li role="menuitem" class="showFrmL"> <a href="/about">About APA</a> </li> <li role="menuitem" class="showFrmL"> <a href="/events">Events</a> </li> <li role="menuitem" class="showFrmL"> <a href="/members">Membership</a> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> <div id="maincontent" role="main" tabindex="-1"> <div class="mainwrap one_col_a text-center dx-dynamic-page" id="mainwrap"> <div class="body-container full-width"> <main class="main"> <div typeof="Region" resource="Top Content"> <div class="topcontent" id="topcontent" > <section class="breadcrumbs inline-breadcrumb"> <div class="container"> <div id="breadcrumbs"> <span><a href="/">Home</a></span> <span class="breadcrumb-sep"> <i role="presentation" class="fas fa-angle-right"></i> </span> <span> <a href="/topics">Psychology topics</a> </span> <span class="breadcrumb-sep"> <i role="presentation" class="fas fa-angle-right"></i> </span> </div> </div> </section> <hgroup class="pageHeader"> <h1 >Autism spectrum disorder</h1> </hgroup> </div> </div> <section class="content" id="ctcol"> <div typeof="Region" resource="Main"> <section class="twoCol_content " id="twoCol_content_30801001"> <section class="oneHalf first"> <div class="featureRichItem "> <div class="wysiwyg lengthy" ><p><img src="/images/autism-spectrum-disorder-topic-page-tile_tcm7-309048_w1024_n.jpg" alt="autistic boy playing in sandbox" data-aspect="0" style="width: 740px; height: 380px;"/> </p> </div> </div> </section> <section class="oneHalf last"> <div class="featureRichItem "> <div class="wysiwyg lengthy" ><p>Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers any one of a group of disorders with an onset typically occurring during the preschool years and characterized by difficulties with social communication and social interactionalong with restricted and repetitive patterns in behaviors, interests, and activities.</p> <p>Autism, Asperger鈥檚 syndrome, and childhood disintegrative disorder are no longer considered distinct diagnoses, and medical or genetic disorders that may be associated with ASD, such as Rett鈥檚 syndrome, are identified only as specifiers of the disorder.</p> <p class="detail-text">Adapted from the <a href="https://dictionary.apa.org/autism-spectrum-disorder">APA Dictionary of Psychology</a></p> </div> </div> </section> </section> <div class="oneCol_content" > <div class="oneFull dynamic"> <section id="featuredFourByOneOrTwo_308011" class="featureRichItem"> <section class="linkWidget tile"> <h2 >Resources from APA</h2> <div class="widgetWrapper tileWidget fourPerRow default"> <div class="module first"> <a href="/ed/precollege/psychology-teacher-network/announcements-events/disability-resources" target="_self" class="module-link"> <div class="body"> <figure class="tile "> <img src="/images/tile-biological-disability-neurodiversity_tcm7-330232_w320_n.jpg" alt="Young girl using crutches walks alongside diverse group of friends."> </figure> <div class="desc"> <p class="title">New resources on disability and neurodiversity available for high school psychology teachers</p> <div class="wysiwyg"><p>Materials are posted along with suggested instructions for how teachers can use the materials in class</p></div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="module"> <a href="/education-career/k12/infusing-diversity/biological/disability-neurodiversity" target="_self" class="module-link"> <div class="body"> <figure class="tile "> <img src="/images/tile-biological-disability-neurodiversity_tcm7-330232_w320_n.jpg" alt="Young girl using crutches walks alongside diverse group of friends."> </figure> <div class="desc"> <p class="title">Disability and Neurodiversity: Biological Pillar</p> <div class="wysiwyg"><p>Resources to help broaden disability and neurodiversity representation across the biological pillar of APA鈥檚 National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula</p></div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="module"> <a href="/monitor/2024/04/scientist-helps-autistic-people-wearable-sensors" target="_self" class="module-link"> <div class="body"> <figure class="tile "> <img src="/images/2024-04-conversation-tile_tcm7-325739_w320_n.jpg" alt="headshot of Matthew Goodwin"> </figure> <div class="desc"> <p class="title">Matthew Goodwin is improving the lives of people with autism</p> <div class="wysiwyg"><p>Scientist adapts wearable sensors to help predict certain behaviors and alert caregivers</p></div> </div> </div> </a> </div> <div class="module last"> <a href="/monitor/2024/03/secure/effective-treatment-autistic-adults" target="_self" class="module-link"> <div class="body"> <figure class="tile "> <img src="/images/2024-03-ce-treatment-tile_tcm7-324701_w320_n.jpg" alt="hand holding an autism puzzle symbol"> </figure> <div class="desc"> <p class="title">Effective treatment for autistic adults</p> <div class="wysiwyg"><p>There are few, if any, support services for autistic people transitioning to adulthood.</p></div> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> <div > <div class="rich-formatted-content"> <div class="rich-content"> <p><a href="https://www.apa.org/search?query=autism">More resources about ASD<i class="fas fa-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></i></a></p> </div> </div> </div> </section> </section> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(document).ready(function () { if (false == true) { var loader = jQuery(this).find('#loader_308011'); loader.show(); jQuery.ajax({ url: '/api/dynamic-component-items', method: 'GET', data: { viewName: 'PartialFeaturedFourByOneOrTwoItems', pageId: '', componentId: '308011', 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'twoCols' : 'others'; googletag.cmd.push(function () { if ('728x90' == '728x90') { var responsiveAdSlot = googletag .defineSlot('/308402/b.apa.tmus/Global', [[300, 250], [728, 90]], 'gpt-ad-324052010') .addService(googletag.pubads()); responsiveAdSlot.defineSizeMapping(getRespAdSizeMapping()); } else { googletag.defineSlot('/308402/b.apa.tmus/Global', [728, 90], 'gpt-ad-324052010').addService(googletag.pubads()); } googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest(); googletag.pubads().setTargeting("Topics", ["Autism Spectrum Disorder","Disabilities","Psychotherapy"]); googletag.pubads().setTargeting("Audience", ["Mental and Behavioral Health Services","Public"]); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display('gpt-ad-324052010'); }); function getRespAdSizeMapping() { var mapping; if (layout == 'twoCols') { if (window.matchMedia("(max-width: 995px)").matches) { mapping = googletag.sizeMapping() .addSize([767, 100], [728, 90]) .addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]) .addSize([0, 0], []) .build(); } else { mapping = googletag.sizeMapping() .addSize([1160, 100], [728, 90]) .addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]) .addSize([0, 0], []) .build(); } } else { mapping = googletag.sizeMapping() .addSize([767, 100], [728, 90]) .addSize([320, 100], [300, 250]) .addSize([0, 0], []) .build(); } return mapping; } </script> </div> <div class='ad_label'>ADVERTISEMENT</div> </div> </div> </section> </section> </section> </section> <div class="oneCol_content" > <div class="oneFull dynamic"> <section id="metadataFeaturedFourByOne_308015" class="featureRichItem"> <span id="loader_308015" class="rr-loader" style="display: none;"> <i role="presentation" class="fas fa-spinner fa-spin fa-3x"></i> </span> </section> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(document).ready(function () { if (true == true) { var loader = jQuery(this).find('#loader_308015'); loader.show(); jQuery.ajax({ url: '/api/dynamic-page-items', method: 'GET', data: { viewName: 'PartialMetadataFeaturedFourByOneItems', pageId: '34135', componentId: '308015', maxItems: '4', sortBy: 'contentdate desc', maxComponents: '0' } }).done((result) => { jQuery('#metadataFeaturedFourByOne_308015').append(result.content); loader.hide(); if (result.content == '\r\n') { jQuery('#metadataFeaturedFourByOne_308015').hide(); } }).fail((error) => { console.log(error.responseJSON.message); loader.hide(); }); } }); </script> <div class="wysiwyg lengthy"> <div class="section-divider" ></div> </div> <div class="oneCol_content" > <div class="oneFull dynamic"> <section id="featuredFourByOneOrTwo_308016" class="featureRichItem"> <span id="loader_308016" class="rr-loader" style="display: none;"> <i role="presentation" class="fas fa-spinner fa-spin fa-3x"></i> </span> </section> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> jQuery(document).ready(function () { if (true == true) { var loader = jQuery(this).find('#loader_308016'); loader.show(); jQuery.ajax({ url: '/api/dynamic-component-items', method: 'GET', data: { viewName: 'PartialFeaturedFourByOneOrTwoItems', pageId: '34135', componentId: '308016', maxItems: '4', sortBy: 'date desc' } }).done((result) => { jQuery('#featuredFourByOneOrTwo_308016').append(result.content); loader.hide(); if (result.content == '\r\n') { jQuery('#featuredFourByOneOrTwo_308016').hide(); } }).fail((error) => { if (!!error.status) { console.log(`${error.status} ${error.statusText} error!`); } console.log(error); loader.hide(); }); } }); </script> <div class="section-divider"> </div> <section class="oneCol_content " id="oneCol_content_31341301"> <section class="overarch"> <h2 >What APA is doing</h2> </section> <section class="oneFull"> <div class="featureRichItem"> <div class="fifty50Widget"> <div class="multiMedia"> <figure class="tile"> <img src="/images/division-33-tile_tcm7-322827_w640_n.jpg" alt="young children work at the table while teacher observes"> </figure> </div> <div> <a class="fifty50RightAnchor" href="/about/division/div33" target="_self" > <div class="eyebrow">Divisions</div> <p class="title">Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorder</p> <div class="wysiwyg lengthy"><p>APA鈥檚 Division 33 is dedicated to advancing psychological research, professional education, and clinical services that increase quality of life in individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorder across the life course.</p></div> </a> </div> </div> </div> </section> </section> <section class="oneCol_content " id="oneCol_content_30476901"> <section class="oneFull"> <section class="featureRichItem"> <section class="adPackageItem ad-2-300x250"> <div class="rightside"> <div class="adWrap"> <div id="gpt-ad-304769010" data-ai-iframe data-ai-action="paid-ad-click" data-ai-target="gpt-ad-304769010"> <script> var layout = document.querySelector('.two_col_b') ? 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