Autism Research 101
To unlock the mysteries of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) — and develop better therapies — research across a wide variety of disciplines is essential. Scientists play a crucial role in this process, but they cannot do it alone. People with ASD and their families can play a vital part by participating in research studies and becoming informed consumers of research.
In this section, we try to provide the tools you need to understand and use research to get the information you want about autism spectrum disorder, therapies and treatments.
Learn why research matters (and why it takes so long), how you can tell if a research study is well-designed, and what it means when a study says a particular factor (say a parent's age or air pollution) is associated with the development of autism in a child.
- Why Care About Autism Research?
- This Just In: Autism is Caused by [Fill in the Blank]
- Lather, Rinse, Repeat: The Importance of Long-Term Studies in Autism
- Looking for Clues to Autism in the Environment
Need more information? Check out our About Research section for information about IAN Research, participating in research and more articles explaining the research process. Learn about new theories and findings in the field.