Autism Spectrum Disorders Research

Our goal is to advance the field of knowledge of the causes and treatment of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Current projects focus on the investigation of the management of behavioral symptoms of ASD, as well as the identification of biomarkers that would help to develop targeted treatments.

Our investigators are also interested in understanding the etiology of ASD. This includes efforts to identify subgroups of persons with ASD that may be most appropriate for specific future interventions. We participate in a project focused on cognitive behavioral therapy and novel approaches to the treatment of social impairment and communication in children with autism.

To improve the quality of studies in this field, we are working to develop outcome measures for use in ASD treatment trials. Our current quantitative outcome measure development is focused on expressive language sampling and use of a new social preference eye tracking procedure.