In this research roundup, Ann Memmott brings together recent October papers exploring Autism, Neurodivergence, communication, identity and everyday experiences. The studies examine empathy, body image, learning differences, social media, emotional wellbeing, sensory needs, food preferences and accessibility—highlighting the importance of understanding individual differences, challenging deficit-based assumptions, and listening to Neurodivergent people about what works for them.
Lacking empathy? No. Yet another study shows evidence of strong empathy, by many Autistic people.
Wood and team examine empathy for Autistic people. Their findings show a strong degree of empathy, overall, but the responses aren’t what people are expecting. A mismatch of understanding, not a lack of caring.
… rather than experiencing indifference, many autistic individuals have strong affective reactions when observing others in distress. These reactions may lead to attention shifting, which can reduce awareness of others' emotional cues, potentially interrupting the unfolding of empathic understanding and responding
Wood, J. J., Orm, S., Wood, K. S., Straus, J., Wolpe, S., Morrissey, A., Guevara, M. V. C., & Crowell, S. E. (2026). The emotion regulation and recognition account of empathy‐related processes in autism: a multimodal, multilevel case–control study. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.70249
Body image for Autistic people
Babb considers whether Autistic people experience their bodies in ways that are different to other people. If so, does this potentially impact therapies and approaches for Autistic body image concerns? Arguably, yes.
Research on body image has mostly focused on populations that do not distinguish neurodivergent people and often defines body image in terms of appearance. However, autistic people might experience their bodies differently because of differences in sensory and social experiences….some people described engaging with societally informed body ideals to fit in with others and avoid social rejection, while others described little interest in following and engaging with these ideals…They described feeling more positively about their body when they felt in control of how it functioned and felt. In contrast, overwhelming sensory experiences and a lack of control over their body’s functioning were linked to feeling negatively about their body. Overall, the findings suggest that things like sensory experiences, control over the body and social expectations are important for autistic people’s body image, as well as how it looks. Current theories and treatments for body image concerns may not always be suitable for autistic people, highlighting the importance of an autism informed approach to these.
Babb, C. (2026). Understanding body image in autistic individuals: A meta-synthesis and an interpretative phenomenological analysis of autistic non-binary experiences [Doctoral dissertation, Cardiff University]. ORCA. https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/189798/
Dysgraphia. (Often identified due to difficulties with handwriting control)
A useful paper from the US, suggesting ways that schools can support pupils with dysgraphia, and a link from the UK charity that is often involved in assessment.
Dysgraphia is one of the least-known of the Neurodivergences, and there isn’t a lot of screening or understanding in many schools or workplaces. I know from my own childhood how difficult it was to make a pen or pencil go where I expected it to go, though luckily I was in a Primary School that offered additional lessons for me to give me some workarounds. The link below gives some clarity about its overlap with dyslexia.
In the UK, it is not often seen as a separate Neurodivergence, and tends to only be identified as part of a dyslexia assessment. How many people are affected isn’t known, because of this lack of awareness & action, but studies suggest it is at least 1 in every 20 people, and probably more than that. Klein takes a look at what might help, in classrooms:
… low-tech assistive tools—such as pencil grips and graphic organizers—serve as inclusive supports that benefit the entire classroom, regardless of whether a student has an Individualized Education Program (IEP)…
High-tech options, including speech-to-text software and digital recording devices, provide additional pathways for engagement in the writing process….
Ultimately, addressing the barriers to writing requires a proactive approach that combines simple, direct instruction sequences with robust screening protocols and collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.
Klein, E. (2026). Understanding dysgraphia: Teaching students with dysgraphia. The Language and Literacy Spectrum, 36(1), 4. https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1106&context=lls
New book on the subject of Neurodiversity and social work
This might be useful for a variety of settings. Good to see a publication which focuses on this topic, in a field that hasn’t had a lot of modern input on the subject. An expensive price tag at present, but hopefully libraries will be able to access this, if budgets don’t stretch to that sum.
Bertilsdotter-Rosqvist, H., Deacon, L., & Guthrie, J. (Eds.). (2026). The Palgrave handbook of neuroinclusive social work. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-18034-6
‘For the first time, I felt seen’: Understanding what helps Autistic emerging Adults feel safe and included on social media
There has been a lot of anxiety in the media about whether Autistic people should use social media. Thankfully, Dawson and team investigated this.
Social media is a prominent part of everyday life and is used regularly to connect users with a diverse network of content and people from around the world. Research on social media among autistic individuals has largely focused on online risks (e.g., cyberbullying) among children and adolescents, with limited attention to the perspectives of autistic emerging adults (i.e., aged 18–29), particularly regarding social media safety and inclusion. The aim of this qualitative study was to understand what helps autistic emerging adults feel safe and included on social media, focusing on their lived experience and recommendations for improvement. Data was collected from 50 autistic emerging adults (Mage=24.57, SD=3.01) through an online open-ended survey. Using reflexive thematic analysis, we generated three key themes: (a) Welcomed by a community of allies, (b) Curating my experience and (c) Communicating in ways that work for me. The findings offer insight into the features and strategies used by autistic emerging adults to feel safe and included when using social media, and provides practical recommendations to foster a safer and more inclusive online environment for neurodivergent individuals
Dawson, A., Street, A., & Flower, R. L. (2026). ‘For the first time, I felt seen’: Understanding what helps autistic emerging adults feel safe and included on social media. Autism. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/13623613261489306
Is smiling a reliable way to detect happiness in Autistic children?
An Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) team try to detect happiness in Autistic children by measuring e.g. how much they smile during ABA sessions. There is no mention of any team understanding of masking/camouflaging behaviour which can lead to many Autistic people learning to smile even though they feel sad, anxious or in pain. They also consider whether a child enjoying watching a loved film on their own should be stopped from doing so, so that they can experience allegedly greater joy from being made to spend time socialising instead. The children were not consulted.
Lots of mention of alleged compassion towards Autistic people, but seemingly no understanding of how Autistic expressions of distress may differ, nor of Autistic needs and goals being different to those of the majority.
Posey, J., Cauchi, J., Weiss, M. J., & Dixon, M. (2026). An index of joy: How to evaluate emotions within early childhood ABA sessions. Child & Family Behavior Therapy, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317107.2026.2741571
Do Autistic children find time with horses and ponies to be calming? Generally, yes.
A research team asked parents to report on their Autistic children’s behaviour and emotions before, and after, spending time riding horses/ponies. There was also a control-group who had a different sort of therapy. They tested the children’s stress chemicals by doing a saliva test at various points. The resulting stress-test data suggests that the children enjoyed spending time with their ponies.
My view: Oddly, the team didn’t think to ask the children about their experiences. We see this a lot. Autistic children can communicate their own opinions about their own experiences, and it would be marvellous to see teams asking good questions, listening, and learning. Whilst saliva stress tests may be of some value, it does not prove that the children gained valued experiences. Both factors are important.
Rankins, E. M., Aichele, S., Granger, D. A., Hepburn, S., Gabriels, R., Schmid, A. A., & Peters, B. C. (2026). Effects of incorporating horses into occupational therapy on adrenocortical and sympathetic nervous system reactivity and regulation in autistic children: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-026-07540-9
I am a person before my label: Exploring people's perceptions of different discourses associated with dyslexia
MacDonald and team (of which I am a part) investigated language around dyslexia. Whilst there has been a lot of debate around language used to describe Autistic people and ADHD, little is known about dyslexia descriptions. 166 dyslexic adults gave their views on the various options:
Language plays a central role in shaping how dyslexia is understood and negotiated across education, employment, and everyday life. While debates have historically focused on diagnosis, less attention has been given to how adults who identify as dyslexic interpret and evaluate the labels applied to them. This article examines dyslexic adults’ perceptions of dyslexia-related and neurodiversity movement terminology…166 participants who identified as dyslexic, with or without co-occurring neurodivergences…Participants strongly favoured dyslexia-specific, identity-based terms such as ‘dyslexic’, while rejecting broader, deficit-centred labels including ‘learning difficulty’, ‘specific learning disability’, and ‘specific learning disorder’…Those with dyslexia alone [rather than more than one neurodivergence] expressed greater ambivalence towards the label of neurodiversity. In contrast, dyslexic participants alongside autism or ADHD were more likely to adopt the label. The study highlights the importance of listening to dyslexic voices in debates about terminology. It cautions against deficit-based and overly generalised language which risks reproducing stigma rather than challenging oppression.
Macdonald, S. J., Pearson, A., Botha, M., Leigh, J. S., Williams, K., Williams, G., Memmott, A., & Grant, A. (2026). I am a person before my label: Exploring people's perceptions of different discourses associated with dyslexia. Dyslexia. https://kar.kent.ac.uk/116776/
Is eating the same food a ‘deficit’, or an important quality of life factor, for Autistic people?
There is a long history of belief that Autistic people must be forced to eat a wide variety of food, in random patterns. Whilst it is true that humans need the right amount of nutrients to thrive, what have we missed in the assumption that this has to look like the food choices of nonAutistic people?
There is often the belief that Autistic people should be prevented from eating the same ‘comfort food’ each day, in case it becomes some kind of obsession. In many cases, it is food with a fairly beige colour and a very predictable texture and taste. As with a lot of historic misunderstandings, few teams had fully considered Autistic needs, neurology, opinions, quality of life, or health outcomes when reaching conclusions about ‘interventions’ around food.
Neilson and team asked Autistic people for their views and explanations of these ‘same-foods’. Their findings are very important for all involved in supporting health outcomes and quality of life for Autistic individuals.
Autistic people often have strong, enduring preferences for specific ‘same foods’. These foods are eaten repeatedly due to sensory, emotional, or practical benefits. While such eating patterns have been discussed in research, they are frequently framed through a deficit lens and rarely centre Autistic perspectives. This article reports on community perspectives revealed during the ‘Same Food as Self Care’ workshops that were designed and led by Autistic professionals and delivered to Autistic adults in both online and in-person formats. The sessions explored participants’ same food experiences through discussion, creative reflection, and self-advocacy activities. Thematic analysis of participant contributions and a post-session survey revealed four key themes: (1) same foods as vital for emotional regulation, stability, and joy; (2) increased community connectedness and reduced isolation through shared experiences; (3) limited access to affirming support and professional understanding regarding Autistic eating patterns; and (4) same foods as a practical and intentional form of self-care. These findings challenge deficit-based interpretations of Autistic eating and highlight the value of same foods as a natural and supportive feature of Autistic life.
Neilson, S., & Hellfeld, L. (2026). Same food as self-care: A community perspective on autistic people's relationships with same foods. NeuroConverse. https://neuroconverse.org/index.php/journal/article/view/32
Disabled and Neurodivergent children & young people – are they enabled to use a bicycle safely?
The short answer is ‘no’, in most instances. Whilst some Autistic individuals are capable cyclists, others may need various adaptations to assist them. Even the most simple adaptation to a bicycle design seems to involve someone charging parents very large prices. About £100 might get you a safe entry-level new bicycle for a ‘typical’ child. If it’s a disabled child who can only ride a tricycle, one might be expected to pay between £500 and £1,000. Want power assistance? The cost goes up much more. Whilst manufacturing costs are higher, it makes life very expensive, especially when children/young people need progressively larger bikes at various stages.
Cycling is promoted as environmentally friendly and a great way to save on the expenses and difficulties of car ownership - but cycling courses usually don’t think to include disabled individuals. Yet, so many disabled people really want to cycle, whether it is to school, college, work, healthcare appointments, shops, or social events. Whilst Bassford and team only ask the parents, rather than asking the children (or indeed Autistic adults), the findings are a vital part of addressing this matter.
Cycling for active travel is increasingly promoted in the UK as a response to climate change, the need to decarbonise transport and to improve public health. However, policies and interventions to promote cycling are often inaccessible to disabled people, and disabled children are rarely provided with cycle training in schools, unlike non-disabled children. There is limited research on disabled people and cycling in the UK, and even less on neurodivergent children. This qualitative study uses interviews with parents/carers of autistic children to explore the barriers they encounter when learning to cycle. Key themes include limited access to non-standard cycles, inaccessible learning methods and attitudinal barriers. Framed by the right to mobility and the concept of eco-ableism, the findings highlight the barriers to cycling for active travel and the provisions needed to overcome them. This is the first UK study of its kind, emphasising the need for more inclusive cycling policy and practice.
Bassford, M., & Inckle, K. (2026). ‘I would love for him to be able to ride to school’: Autistic children and barriers to cycling for active travel in the United Kingdom. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 28(1), 507–519. https://doi.org/10.16993/sjdr.1335
