With @michealsandbank.bsky.social @shanclapoint.bsky.social @jhinsonwilliams.bsky.social @yueyangshen.bsky.social Ruoxi Guo, and Tiffany Woynaroski

We conclude that, because of a lack of appropriate conceptualization of what constitutes "problem behavior" and poorly validated measures, we know very little about how interventions might support autistic children who engage in behavior that could be harmful to themselves or others. 4/4

and all but one measure mixed together behaviors that were inherently harmful (e.g., aggression) and behaviors that were nonnormative but not inherently harmful (e.g., hand flapping). 3/4

and only 8% of studies defined the behavior construct they targeted. For the most common "problem behavior" measures, only two were validated along six different validation dimensions in autistic children, 2/4

Question: How can we include autistic people with high support needs who also have motor difficulties that can interfere with some forms of successful AAC use?

Sutherland: Simpler methods like PECs can help. But important to acknowledge that some people don't yet have successful AAC.

#INSAR2025

Sutherland: when they've talked to care providers, they find out via that they actually do share goals with the #neurodiversity paradigm. And then the research speaks for itself, because it's addressing those shared goals.

#INSAR2025

Grateful for your live skeeting!

Now Q&A (though we have to leave in 5 min for #AutINSAR prep, darn it).

First question: How do we overcome the manufactured divide of #ProfoundAutism?

#INSAR2025

Blasko: (using AAC in real time) I hope the questions are kind, and I have strong feelings but I am respectful [*got up to pace*] of all perspectives.

#INSAR2025