The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to autism:
Autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – a condition characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a need or strong preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing differences, focused interests, or repetitive behaviors.
Descriptions of autism
Autism can be described as all of the following: Disability – may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these. Developmental disability – a term used in the United States and Canada to describe certain lifelong disabilities attributable to mental or physical impairments, manifested prior to adulthood. Disorder – Developmental disorder – occur at some stage in a child's development, often slowing the development. Neurodevelopmental disorder – or disorder of neural development, is an impairment of the growth and development of the brain or central nervous system. Spectrum disorder A form of neurodiversity
Autistic traits Signs of autism are highly variable, and different individuals will have a different mix of traits. Some more common traits include: Avoidance of eye contact – preference to avoid eye contact and feelings of fear or being overwhelmed when looking into someone's eyes Developmental delay – slower acquisition of life skills Emotional dysregulation – mood swings, including outbursts when overwhelmed Executive dysfunction – difficulty staying organized, initiating tasks, and/or controlling impulses Picture thinking – visual thinking Routines – need for routine and fear of unexpected change Sensory processing disorder – over- or under-responsiveness to sensory input Sincerity – tendency to tell the truth Special interests – narrow and passionate areas of interest Stimming – repetitive movements or sounds that stimulate the senses and regulate emotion and sensory processing
Research areas Assessment tools A peer reviewed article in 2025 suggests that a strengths based (neuroaffirmative approach) "Strengths-based neuropsychology assessments, grounded in a neurodiversity-positive framework, were acceptable for adult inpatient participants recently diagnosed with Autism." Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule – an instrument for diagnosing and assessing Autism. Autism Diagnostic Interview Autism-spectrum quotient – AQ, is a questionnaire published in 2001 by Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at the Autism Research Centre in Cambridge, UK. Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Childhood Autism Rating Scale Childhood Autism Spectrum Test Gilliam Asperger's disorder scale Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers Ritvo Autism and Asperger Diagnostic Scale
Research areas and subjects Double empathy problem – a theory suggesting that the communication difficulties present in autistic individuals are due to a reciprocal lack of understanding and bidirectional differences in communication style among other factors rather than an inherent deficiency. Epidemiology of autism – the study of factors affecting autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Epigenetics of autism – the study of epigenetic effects in ASD. Mirror neuron – a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. Motor differences in autism Spindle neuron – also called von Economo neurons (VENs), are a specific class of neurons that are characterized by a large spindle-shaped soma, gradually tapering into a single apical axon in one direction, with only a single dendrite facing opposite. Weak central coherence theory (WCC) – also called the central coherence theory (CC), suggests that a specific perceptual-cognitive style, loosely described as a limited ability to understand context or to "see the big picture", is the central characteristic of autism.
History
Controversies
Applied behavior analysis (ABA) – an operant-conditioning system most commonly used to modify the behavior of autistic people, which some (including many autistic people who have undergone it) have argued is abusive, traumatizing, dehumanizing, pseudoscientific and not genuinely collaborative or supportive. It was popularized by UCLA psychologist Ole Ivar Lovaas, who at times used electric shocks and other physical punishments on his child test subjects and once stated autistic people were human in physical form only and needed to be psychologically constructed. Lovaas was also influential in the formal development of conversion therapy, which utilized many of the same operant-conditioning methods (including physical punishment) as ABA. Autism's False Prophets – written by vaccine expert Paul Offit. Autism Speaks – the world's largest autism advocacy organization that sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, and the public. It is controversial (among other reasons) due to its previous focus on searching for a cure (and continuing investment in genetic research), previous support for the debunked belief that vaccines make children autistic, previous portrayals of autistic people as diseased and broken, failure to include a significant number of autistic people in leadership, support of applied behavior analysis, spending very little of the money it raises to provide tangible support to the autistic community and tendency to ignore, antagonize or speak over autistic people with differing views. Gluten-free, casein-free diet – diet that eliminates dietary intake of gluten and casein. Mother Warriors – written by actor and anti-vaccine activist Jenny McCarthy. Refrigerator mother – an accusing label for mothers of children diagnosed with autism or schizophrenia, now widely understood to be a myth. Barber National Institute – a pro-ABA non-profit organization that is prominent in the US state of Pennsylvania. Claims about Tylenol (generic name paracetamol or acetaminophen), being the cause of autism: by Donald Trump; by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; by lawsuit; Acetaminophen autism mass tort; Consumer-protection lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson and Kenvue by Texas Attorney General Pseudoscience and disproven treatments Autistic enterocolitis – other studies have explicitly refuted its existence. Craniosacral therapy – (also called CST, also spelled Cranial Sacral bodywork or therapy) is an alternative medicine therapy used by physiotherapists, osteopaths, massage therapists, naturopaths, and chiropractors. Chelation therapy – the administration of chelating agents to remove heavy metals from the body. Not effective in autism. Facilitated communication – a debunked technique which purports to allow non-verbal autistics to communicate. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy – the medical use of oxygen at a level higher than atmospheric pressure. Secretin – a hormone that controls the secretions into the duodenum, and also separately, water homeostasis throughout the body. Ineffective in autism. Vaccines and autism – the thoroughly debunked claim that vaccines cause autism. MMR vaccine and autism – was a case of scientific misconduct which triggered a health scare. Thiomersal and vaccines – describing discredited claims that vaccines containing the mercury-based preservative thiomersal contribute to the development of autism and other developmental disorders.
Notable autistic people
Susan Boyle (b. 1961) was first seen on Britain's Got Talent when she sang "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Misérables. She has since become a successful singer and has mentioned how alive it makes her feel. She has also stated that her autism diagnosis came as a "relief" to her. Michelle Dawson (b. 1961) is a Canadian autism researcher. Temple Grandin (b. 1947) is an American doctor of animal science and professor at Colorado State University, bestselling author, and consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior. Chloé Hayden (b. 1997) is an Australian actor, activist, author and internet personality. Hayden is AuDHD (autistic and ADHD). In 2022, she began co-starring as autistic character Quinni Gallagher-Jones on the Netflix TV series Heartbreak High, a role she provides input on based on her lived experience. Anthony Hopkins (b. 1937) is a Welsh actor who is the first openly autistic actor to win an Academy Award. Chris Packham (b. 1961) is an English naturalist, author, nature photographer and television presenter. Bella Ramsey (b. 2003) is an English actor best known for their work on Game of Thrones and The Last of Us (the HBO TV adaptions of the popular book and video-game series, respectively). They first publicly spoke about being diagnosed autistic and exploring their autistic identity in the April 2025 edition of British Vogue. Jim Sinclair (activist) is an autism rights activist who wrote the landmark essay "Don't Mourn For Us". Greta Thunberg (b. 2003) is a Swedish climate change activist. Donna Williams (1963–2017) was a best-selling Australian author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and sculptor diagnosed with autism after being assessed as a psychotic infant in 1965 at age two, tested multiple times for deafness and labeled disturbed throughout childhood, before treatment for gut, immune and sensory perceptual disorders in adulthood.
See also List of fictional autistic characters – fictional characters who have been confirmed to be autistic.
Culture
Autistic art – art created by autistic artists or art which captures or conveys a variety of autistic experiences or demeanor. Global perceptions of autism − an overview of the diagnosis, treatment, and experience of autism in developing nations. Identity-first language − the practice of using disability-related words as regular adjectives, such as saying "autistic person" rather than "person with autism". Neurodiversity – the standpoint that atypical neurological development is a normal human difference that should be accommodated instead of rejected. Autism rights movement (ARM) – (a subset of the neurodiversity movement, also known as the anti-cure movement or autistic culture movement) is a social movement that encourages autistic people, their caregivers and society to adopt a position of neurodiversity, accepting autism as a variation in functioning rather than a mental disorder to be cured. Neurotypical – (or NT) is a term that was coined in the autistic community as a label for non-autistic people who have no brain-related health conditions or disabilities: specifically, neurotypical people have neurological development and states that are consistent with what most people would perceive as normal, particularly with respect to their ability to process linguistic information and social cues. Social model of disability – the view that disability is caused by societal failure to accommodate human diversity, rather than by a defect in the individual. Societal and cultural aspects of autism – come into play with recognition of autism, approaches to its support services and therapies, and how autism affects how we define personhood.
Legislation Autism Act 2009 – a UK act that makes provision about the needs of autistic adults Children's Health Act – a US act that increased research and treatment of health issues, including autism, asthma, and epilepsy, in children Combating Autism Act – a US act that authorized funding into autism; renamed after controversy Jonathan's Law – a New York State act meant to curtail abuse in care facilities, named in honor of Jonathan Carey, a nonverbal autistic child who was killed by a direct care worker employed at the state-run facility where he lived
Organizations, stakeholder groups and events Organizations Aspies For Freedom (AFF) – a solidarity and campaigning group which aims at raising public awareness of the autism rights movement. Autism Awareness Campaign UK –