A new Stony Brook University study reveals that autism might be better understood as several interrelated spectra, rather than a spectrum. The study compares two large independent samples of children and adolescents, with and without autism diagnoses, to explore the way autism is classified. The results indicate that autism combines three different domains of behavior: social interaction difficulties, interpersonal communication, and repetitive thoughts or actions. The lead researchers believe the study findings may have significant implications for the way professionals understand, classify, and map the array of experiences of people with autism.
Stony Brook University is a member of NYSERNet’s R&E network. Read more about the study here: https://news.stonybrook.edu/newsroom/press-release/general/is-autism-truly-a-spectrum-new-research-suggests-classification-more-complex/