Selected Publications

recent publication covers Nov 2023

The following is a selected list of publications related to the Duke Autism Center of Excellence research projects. To see all publications authored by a particular investigator, visit our Leadership and Faculty page and search for the individual by name. 

You can also see plain language summaries of select publications.

  • Aikat, V., Carpenter, K. L. H., Babu, P. R. K., Di Martino, J. M., Espinosa, S., Compton, S., Davis, N., Franz, L., Spanos, M., Sapiro, G., & Dawson, G. (2025). Autism Digital Phenotyping in Preschool‐ and School‐Age Children. Autism Research, aur.70032. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.70032

  • Brandsen, S., Chandrasekhar, T., Franz, L., Grapel, J., Dawson, G., & Carlson, D. (2024). Prevalence of bias against neurodivergence‐related terms in artificial intelligence language models. Autism Research, 17(2), 234–248. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3094

  • Carpenter, K. L. H., Davis, N. O., Spanos, M., Sabatos-DeVito, M., Aiello, R., Baranek, G. T., Compton, S. N., Egger, H. L., Franz, L., Kim, S.-J., King, B. H., Kolevzon, A., McDougle, C. J., Sanders, K., Veenstra-VanderWeele, J., Sikich, L., Kollins, S. H., & Dawson, G. (2024). Adaptive Behavior in Young Autistic Children: Associations with Irritability and ADHD Symptoms. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(9), 3559–3566. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-022-05753-2

  • Carpenter, K. L. H., Davis, N. O., Spanos, M., Sabatos-DeVito, M., Aiello, R., Compton, S. N., Franz, L., Schechter, J. C., Summers, J., & Dawson, G. (2024). Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome in Young Autistic Children, Children with ADHD, and Autistic Children with ADHD. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2024.2361715

  • Carson, W. E., Major, S., Akkineni, H., Fung, H., Peters, E., Carpenter, K. L. H., Dawson, G., & Carlson, D. E. (2024). Model selection to achieve reproducible associations between resting state EEG features and autism. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 25301. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76659-5

  • Davis, N. O., Carpenter, K. L. H., Sabatos-DeVito, M., Spanos, M., Reed, A., Aiello, R. E., Schechter, J. C., Chandrasekhar, T., Compton, S., Franz, L., Goldstein, B. A., Howard, J., Vermeer, S., Sikich, L., Kollins, S. H., & Dawson, G. (2025). Assessment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Young Autistic Children. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2025.2521856

  • Davis, N. O., Lerebours, R., Aiello, R. E., Carpenter, K. L. H., Compton, S., Franz, L., Kollins, S. H., Sabatos‐DeVito, M., Spanos, M., & Dawson, G. (2025). Behavioral characteristics of toddlers later identified with an autism diagnosis, ADHD symptoms, or combined autism and ADHD symptoms. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 66(2), 214–224. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.14050

  • Huang, W. A., Engelhard, M., Coffman, M., Hill, E. D., Weng, Q., Scheer, A., Maslow, G., Henao, R., Dawson, G., & Goldstein, B. A. (2024). A conditional multi-label model to improve prediction of a rare outcome: An illustration predicting autism diagnosis. Journal of Biomedical Informatics, 157, 104711. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbi.2024.104711

  • Isaev, D. Yu., Sabatos-DeVito, M., Di Martino, J. M., Carpenter, K., Aiello, R., Compton, S., Davis, N., Franz, L., Sullivan, C., Dawson, G., & Sapiro, G. (2024). Computer Vision Analysis of Caregiver–Child Interactions in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Preliminary Report. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 54(6), 2286–2297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-023-05973-0

  • Krishnappa Babu, P. R., Di Martino, J. M., Aiello, R., Eichner, B., Espinosa, S., Green, J., Howard, J., Perochon, S., Spanos, M., Vermeer, S., Dawson, G., & Sapiro, G. (2024). Validation of a Mobile App for Remote Autism Screening in Toddlers. NEJM AI, 1(10). https://doi.org/10.1056/AIcs2400510

  • Loh, D. R., Hill, E. D., Liu, N., Dawson, G., & Engelhard, M. M. (2025). Limitations of Binary Classification for Long-Horizon Diagnosis Prediction and Advantages of a Discrete-Time Time-to-Event Approach: Empirical Analysis. JMIR AI, 4, e62985–e62985. https://doi.org/10.2196/62985

  • Marryat, J., Davis, N. O., Lerebours, R., Carpenter, K. L. H., Compton, S., Eichner, B., Franz, L., Kollins, S. H., Spanos, M., & Dawson, G. (2024). Brief Report: Relationships Between Caregiver-Reported Externalizing and Internalizing Behaviors and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06453-9

  • Moreno-Duarte, I., Brandsen, S., Dawson, G., Einhorn, L. M., & Swaminathan, M. (2024). Integrating tailored approaches in perioperative care strategies for neurodivergent individuals. eClinicalMedicine, 76, 102846. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102846

  • Posner, J., & Dawson, G. (2024). Addressing the Gap in Research Training in Child Psychiatry and Neurodevelopment. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 63(2), 105–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2023.05.026

  • Zhu, Y., Davis, N. O., Franz, L., Goldstein, B., Green, J., Herkert, D., Howard, J., Reed, A., Spanos, M., & Dawson, G. (2024). Factors Associated with Caregivers’ Decisions to Pursue a Diagnostic Evaluation After a Positive Autism Screen in Primary Care. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06582-1

  • Fannin, D. K., Williams, E.-D. G., Fuller, M., Pearson, J. N., Boyd, B. A., Drame, E. R., Taylor, J., Dickerson, A. S., Spinks-Franklin, A., & Coles-White, D. J. (2024). Unpacking the prevalence: A warning against overstating the recently narrowed gap for Black autistic youth. Autism Research, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3168

  • Chandrasekhar, Tara, and Qin Hu. “Meeting the mental health needs of autistic college students: a survey of university and college counseling center clinicians.” J Am Coll Health 72, no. 1 (January 2024): 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.2013239.

  • Brandsen, S., K. Blackshear, R. Coleman, S. Hallur, and T. Chandrasekhar. “Developing an Inclusive Campus for Autistic Students.” Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, January 1, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000551.

  • Franz, Lauren, Marisa Viljoen, Sandy Askew, Musaddiqah Brown, Geraldine Dawson, J Matias Di Martino, Guillermo Sapiro, et al. “Autism Caregiver Coaching in Africa (ACACIA): Protocol for a type 1-hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial.” PLoS One 19, no. 1 (2024): e0291883. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0291883.

Publications from the Department of Child & Family Mental Health & Community Psychiatry

graphic listing genetic and environmental factors that contribute to autism

Duke Researchers Explain "Threshold" Model of Factors Contributing to Autism

Autism develops from many different influences during early brain development. In this article, Duke researchers Alexandra Bey, MD, PhD, Scott Soderling, PhD, and Geraldine Dawson, PhD, explain a “threshold” model: no single gene or factor causes autism on its own. Instead, they describe how many small genetic differences, together with certain environmental influences before birth, can add up and increase the likelihood that a child will develop autism. Read the full article (open access) at https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI201157
tour guide speaks to a group in a gallery

Identifying ADHD in Young Autistic Children

Many young autistic children also have ADHD, which can impact the child’s experiences. However, figuring out which autistic children have ADHD can be difficult. This new paper from Duke researchers describes an approach that providers can take to identify ADHD in autistic kids. Read the full paper at https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2025.2521856
A child points at the screen of a tablet

SenseToKnow App Spots Differences Between Autistic and Non-Autistic Kids Aged 3-8

Duke researchers created the SenseToKnow app to help spot signs of autism in children by tracking how they interact with the videos and games in the app. The app was first tested with toddlers and showed promising results. In a recent study with kids aged 3 to 8, the app showed clear differences between autistic and non-autistic children. With further testing, the app might be useful for autism detection in older children.
A toddler placing his hands on a large ball and smiling

Behavioral Characteristics of Toddlers Later Identified with an Autism Diagnosis, ADHD Symptoms, or Combined Autism and ADHD Symptoms

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common among autistic people. Less is known about the behavioral characteristics of children who have both conditions when they are toddlers.  A recent study led by associate professor Naomi Davis, PhD, asked caregivers to answer questions about their toddlers’ behavior, including whether they noticed signs of autism or ADHD. The children were then followed over several years. Some were diagnosed with autism only or autism plus ADHD. 
Two children play at a toy kitchen

ADHD, Big Emotions, and Adaptive Behavior in Young Autistic Children

A recent Duke study explored a link between ADHD, difficulties with big emotions, and adaptive behavior – a person’s ability to perform everyday social and personal life skills - in autistic children. We found that kids with more difficulty managing big emotions also had greater difficulties with social adaptive behavior specifically.
Woman sits with child watching a tablet screen. Data visualization is overlayed on the image.

SenseToKnow app shows accurate results when performed at home, study shows

Our team tested the accuracy of the SenseToKnow app for autism screening when used by caregivers at home on their own mobile phone or tablet. The results showed that the mobile autism screening app can be done at home and still provide a high level of accuracy for identifying autism in toddlers, comparable to the results of earlier studies in our clinic and lab. The possibilities for remote screening could lower barriers to autism screening, reduce disparities in early access to services and support, and improve children’s outcomes.
graph demonstrating CBCL groupings and their MCHAT scores

Brief Report: Relationships Between Caregiver-Reported Behaviors and the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers

In 2024, Duke autism researcher Jane Marryat and team compared toddlers’ scores on the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (MCHAT), which is used to screen for autism in young children, with another measure of behavioral and emotional concerns. Findings suggest that high scores on an MCHAT autism screening may indicate other behavioral concerns such as ADHD that should alert clinicians and families to additional support needs for young children.
infographic with recommendations for perioperative care

Integrating Tailored Surgery Care Strategies for Neurodivergent Individuals

A team including Duke’s Sam Brandsen, Geraldine Dawson, and Madhav Swaminathan (Anesthesiology) gives tailored recommendations for caring for neurodivergent patients before, during and after surgery in the newest issue of eClinicalMedicine. Read the full open access text at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589537024004255
journal issue cover of International Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities

Autism Center Team Publishes Practical Suggestions for Neurodiversity-Affirming Clinical Care

People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) face barriers in finding neurodiversity-affirming clinical care that is suited to their communication style and needs. In this chapter, by Drs. Sam Brandsen, Tara Chandrasekhar and Lauren Franz offer practical suggestions for creating a safe, accessible, and effective clinical care approach for individuals with IDD.