At a glance
Below is a list of recent scientific articles on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) generated from CDC programs and activities.
Scientific articles
These articles are either from CDC-funded research or have at least one CDC author. These articles are listed by year of publication, with the most recent first.
ASD articles by year
2025
- Prevalence and Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 and 8 Years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 16 Sites, United States, 2022. Shaw KA, Williams S, Patrick M, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ 2025;74(No. SS-2):1–22.
- Child and family characteristics associated with verbal communication difficulties in adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities. Powell PS, Gonzalez MG, Pazol K, Reyes N, Nadler C, Wiggins L. Res Dev Disabil. 2024;155:104879.
- Changes in Autism and Co-Occurring Conditions from Preschool to Adolescence: Considerations for Precision Monitoring and Treatment Planning. Wiggins LD, Overwyk K, Powell P, et al. J Autism Dev Disord. Published online September 13, 2024.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnoses and Congenital Cytomegalovirus. Pesch MH, Leung J, Lanzieri TM, et al. Pediatrics. 2024;153(6):e2023064081.
- Depressive symptoms and activity engagement in autistic adolescents and those with other developmental disabilities. Wiggins LD, Daniels J, Overwyk K, et al. Disabil Health J. 2024;17(3):101633.
- Community testing practices for autism within the autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network. Robinson Williams A, Amoakohene E, Maenner MJ, et al. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2024;38(5):426-431.
- Health Conditions, Education Services, and Transition Planning for Adolescents With Autism. Hughes MM, Pas ET, Durkin MS, et al. Pediatrics. 2024 Apr 1;153(4):e2023063672.
- Pregnancy Planning and its Association with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Findings from the Study to Explore Early Development. Harris ST, Schieve LA, Drews-Botsch C, et al. Matern Child Health J. 2024;28(5):949-958.
- Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Diagnostic Patterns, Co-occurring Conditions, and Transition Planning. Hughes MM, Shaw KA, Patrick ME, et al. J Adolesc Health. 2023;73(2):271-278.
- Statewide county-level autism spectrum disorder prevalence estimates—seven U.S. states, 2018. Shaw KA, Williams S, Hughes MM, et al. Ann Epidemiol. 2023;79:39-43.
- The Prevalence and Characteristics of Children With Profound Autism, 15 Sites, United States, 2000-2016. Hughes MM, Shaw KA, DiRienzo M, et al. Public Health Rep. 2023;138(6):971-980.
- Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020. Maenner MJ, Warren Z, Williams AR, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2023;72(2):1-14. Published 2023 Mar 24. [Easy-Read Summary]
- Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 4 Years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2020. Shaw KA, Bilder DA, McArthur D, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2023;72(1):1-15. Published 2023 Mar 24. [Easy-Read Summary]
- Social vulnerability and prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program (MADDSP).Patrick ME, Hughes MM, Ali A, Shaw KA, Maenner MJ. Ann Epidemiol. 2023;83:47-53.e1.
- Individualized Education Programs and Transition Planning for Adolescents With Autism. Hughes MM, Kirby AV, Davis J, et al. Pediatrics. 2023;152(1):e2022060199. [Watch Video Abstract]
- Toileting Resistance Among Preschool-Age Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder. Wiggins LD, Nadler C, Hepburn S, Rosenberg S, Reynolds A, Zubler J. J Dev Behav Pediatr. 2022;43(4):216-223.
- Defining in Detail and Evaluating Reliability of DSM-5 Criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Among Children Rice CE, Carpenter LA, Morrier MJ, et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022;52(12):5308-5320. [published correction appears in J Autism Dev Disord. 2022 Jan 29;:].
- Reasons for participation in a child development study: Are cases with developmental diagnoses different from controls? Bradley CB, Tapia AL, DiGuiseppi CG, et al. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2022;36(3):435-445.
- Features that best define the heterogeneity and homogeneity of autism in preschool-age children: A multisite case–control analysis replicated across two independent samples. Wiggins LD, Tian LH, Rubenstein E, et al. Autism Res. 2022;15(3):539-550.
- Progress and Disparities in Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder: Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 2002–2016. Shaw KA, McArthur D, Hughes MM, et al. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2022;61(7):905-914.
- Peri-Pregnancy Cannabis Use and Autism Spectrum Disorder in the Offspring: Findings from the Study to Explore Early Development. DiGuiseppi C, Crume T, Van Dyke J, et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022;52(11):5064-5071.
- Heterogeneity in Autism Spectrum Disorder Case-Finding Algorithms in United States Health Administrative Database Analyses. Grosse SD, Nichols P, Nyarko K, Maenner M, Danielson ML, Shea L. J Autism Dev Disord. 2022;52(9):4150-4163.
- Early identification of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 4 years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 sites, United States, 2018. Shaw KA, Maenner MJ, Bakian AV, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2021;70(10):1-14. Published 2021 Dec 3.
- Prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder among children aged 8 years—autism and developmental disabilities monitoring network, 11 sites, United States, 2018. Maenner MJ, Shaw KA, Bakian AV, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2021;70(11):1-16. Published 2021 Dec 3.
- Comparison of 2 Case Definitions for Ascertaining the Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among 8-Year-Old Children. Maenner MJ, Graves SJ, Peacock G, Honein MA, Boyle CA, Dietz PM. Am J Epidemiol. 2021;190(10):2198-2207.
- Healthcare Costs of Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder in the United States, 2003–2015. Zuvekas SH, Grosse SD, Lavelle TA, Maenner MJ, Dietz P, Ji X. J Autism Dev Disord. 2021;51(8):2950-2958.
- Association between pica and gastrointestinal symptoms in preschoolers with and without autism spectrum disorder: Study to Explore Early Development. Fields VL, Soke GN, Reynolds A, et al. Disabil Health J. 2021;14(3):101052.
- Health Status and Health Care Use Among Adolescents Identified With and Without Autism in Early Childhood—Four US Sites, 2018–2020. Powell PS, Pazol K, Wiggins LD, et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70(17):605-611. Published 2021 Apr 30.
- Evaluation of sex differences in preschool children with and without autism spectrum disorder enrolled in the study to explore early development. Wiggins LD, Rubenstein E, Windham G, et al. Res Dev Disabil. 2021;112:103897.
- A Distinct Three-Factor Structure of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in an Epidemiologically Sound Sample of Preschool-Age Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Hiruma L, Pretzel RE, Tapia AL, et al. J Autism Dev Disord. 2021;51(10):3456-3468.
- Spending on Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder in Employer-Sponsored Plans, 2011–2017 Grosse SD, Ji X, Nichols P, Zuvekas SH, Rice CE, Yeargin-Allsopp M. Psychiatr Serv. 2021;72(1):16-22. [published correction appears in Psychiatr Serv. 2021 Jan 1;72(1):97].
- A Preliminary Epidemiology Study of Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder Relative to Autism Spectrum Disorder and Developmental Disability Without Social Communication Deficits. Ellis Weismer S, Rubenstein E, Wiggins L, Durkin MS. J Autism Dev Disord. 2021;51(8):2686-2696.
- CE: From the CDC: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder. Christensen D, Zubler J. Am J Nurs. 2020;120(10):30-37.
- Early Identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aaged 4 Years—Early Autism and Developmental Disability Monitoring Network, Six Sites, United States, 2016. Shaw KA, Maenner MJ, Baio J, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2020;69(3):1-11. Published 2020 Mar 27.
- Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years—Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2016. Maenner MJ, Shaw KA, Baio J, et al. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2020;69(4):1-12. Published 2020 Mar 27. [published correction appears in MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020 Apr 24;69(16):503].
- Disparities in Documented Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder Based on Demographic, Individual, and Service Factors. Wiggins LD, Durkin M, Esler A, et al. Autism Res. 2020;13(3):464-473.
CDC's SEED Research
Researchers working on CDC's Study to Explore Early Development (SEED) have published many studies reporting on important findings related to ASD, and many additional SEED studies are underway. CDC will provide summaries of those studies in the future.
Featured article
A CDC SEED study looked at the association between prenatal ultrasound use and increased risk for ASD.
Prior studies have found no connection between prenatal ultrasound use and ASD. Through an updated study approach, findings from a 2023 SEED study confirm the previous research, showing no association between prenatal ultrasound use and increased risk for ASD. CDC remains committed to exploring potential risk factors for ASD by using world-class data and analytics.
For information on the methods and descriptions of the SEED study sample, exploring potential risk factors for ASD using SEED data, and much more, click the link below.
Keep Reading:
SEED Research Findings
Key findings and featured articles
These featured web pages provide brief summaries of some of CDC's ASD research.
You can make a real difference for your child by acting early on developmental concerns. Find more i...
CDC's ADDM Network looks at healthcare needs and transition planning for adolescents with ASD.
CDC's SEED data helps us learn about autism, risk factors, and developmental characteristics.
This CDC study fills a gap in data on adults living with ASD in the United States.
Lessons learned from linking CDC's ADDM Network's statewide data to track ASD prevalence estimates.
