IAN Research Reports

A belief in the value of sharing...

All over the United States, parents of children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and adults with ASD, are sitting down in front of their computers to contribute their data to the IAN Project. At 3 in the morning from the family PC, or at lunchtime from the office... in one long session or in several smaller ones...they are answering the IAN questionnaires, adding their knowledge to that of thousands of others. It is a way to tell their story.

In more traditional studies, research participants rarely hear what resulted from what they gave: their time, their passion, their effort. The IAN team believes that a research endeavor should be more of a two-way street. We will therefore be publishing Research Reports from time to time so that we can share with our participants and the entire autism community what we have learned so far.

As researchers from many fields begin to use the IAN data, applying it to hundreds of autism research questions, there will be even more to report! Even now, though, we have some preliminary findings based on the raw data flowing in that should be of great interest to our readers.

IAN Research Reports

• IAN Research Report #12 - Girls with ASD
  (December 2009) 
  In this IAN Research Report, a companion article to "A Girl's-Eye View," we share our findings about girls with ASD: Both genders appear remarkably similar in terms of ASD characteristics. But...are there really few differences or are girls the overlooked orphans in ASD research?

• IAN Research Report #11 - Family Stress, Part 3: Relationships & Resilience
  (September 2009)
  In this third and final article in our series of IAN Research Reports on family stress, we explore how ASD can affect the relationship with a parent's spouse or life partner, as well as with extended family members and friends.

• IAN Research Report #10 - Fathers of Children with ASD
  (July 2009)
  We celebrate the participation of more than 1,000 fathers in IAN Research! This report discusses why fathers have been too often left out of research on child development, and how the IAN Project has worked to accommodate and welcome them.
   
• IAN Research Report #9 - Family Stress, Part 2: Work Life & Finances
  (May 2009) 
  In part 2 of this IAN Research Report, we delve deeper into the issue of family stress and how raising a child with ASD can affect parents' career and/or educational goals, as well as family finances.
   
• IAN Research Report #8 - Family Stress, Part 1: Child Behaviors
  (April 2009) 
  In part 1 of this IAN Research Report, we explore the issue of family stress and how it relates to behaviors common in children with ASD, based on parents' responses to the IAN Parental Depression History Questionnaire.
  
  
• IAN Research Report #7 - Parental Mood Disorders and ASD
  (October 2008)
  Responses to the IAN Parental Depression History Questionnaire indicate 44% of mothers and 28% of fathers participating in IAN have been professionally diagnosed with a mood disorder; more than half first experienced such a disorder before having children. Implications for family services and autism research are discussed.
   
• IAN Research Report #6 - Regression
  (June 2008)
  A detailed report on regression and developmental plateaus in children with ASD; of 5,702 children whose parents answered our questions about skill loss or stagnation, 54% experienced one or the other.
   
• IAN Research Report #5 - February 2008
  Most frequently used treatments for ASD; special report on speech and language therapy; and an update to IAN's weight and height findings -- only younger children with ASD tend to be taller , and only older children with ASD tend to be heavier, than unaffected siblings.
   
• IAN Research Report #4 - December 2007
  Use of one-on-one aides by state; classroom settings for children with ASD by grade (regular vs. special education from pre-school to high school); IAN height and weight data.
   
• IAN Research Report #3 - September 2007
  School settings (regular vs. special education); use of one-on-one aides; age at first parent concern vs. age at diagnosis; variation in frequency of parent depression by child's ASD diagnosis.
   
• IAN Research Report #2 - July 2007
  Gender ratios in IAN; issues of mood and attention by gender; areas of parental first concern; mental retardation and IQ.
   
• IAN Research Report #1 - May 2007
  Children with ASD in IAN: diagnosis, age, regression, mental retardation, motor delays, and issues of mood and attention; families: issues of mood and attention and learning issues/speech delays.

Treatment Reports

• Treatment Series Introduction
  Introduction to Treatment Series - reports on treatments most frequently used by IAN families.
  
   
• Treatment Report - Social Skills Groups - February 2009
  Description of social skills groups, an intervention designed to help those with autism spectrum disorders overcome social challenges, plus a report on what IAN families currently using such groups report about their experience.
  
   
• Treatment Report - Special Diets - November 2008
  Description of special diets used to treat autism; the state of the research on this so far; and a report on what IAN families currently using the diets have shared.
  
   
• Treatment Report - Medications - April 2008
  Description of medications used to treat issues associated with autism, and a report on how many children with ASD participating in IAN are using which type of medication.
  
   
• Treatment Report - Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration Therapies - February 2008
  Description of occupational and sensory integration therapies, and report on its use by IAN families: targeted symptoms, cost, funding sources, results.
  
   
• Treatment Report - Speech and Language Therapy - January 2008
  Description of speech and language therapy and report on its use by IAN families: targeted symptoms, cost, funding sources, results.

Special Topics

• Twins! A Key to the Mysteries of Autism - October 2009
  IAN now has 277 twin sets -- more than researchers have ever been able to study at one time. Explore how studying twins can help researchers untangle genetic and environmental factors in autism.

• Data on Adults on the Autism Spectrum - September 2009
  After years of focusing almost exclusively on children, researchers in the field of autism are eager to learn from adults. Read this article to get a first look at IAN's preliminary data from adults on the spectrum.

   

• Back To School Report - August 2009
  For families with children on the autism spectrum, a new school year is more than back-to-school shopping. Explore what IAN parents are saying about the educational challenges and opportunities for their children.
  
   
• Back to School Report - August 2008
  An update on what families of children with ASD are telling IAN about school settings (public vs. private), classroom setting (time spent in regular vs. special education), and use of personal assistants. Also - links to resources for back-to-school!
  
   
• Co-occuring Conditions Mini-Report - December 2007
  ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder in children with ASD and their family members.
  
   
• Weight and Height Mini-Report - November 2007
  Data from IAN's Weight and Height Questionnaire - Children with ASD have different weight, height profile than typical peers.