Next Generation Siblings

We are looking for adult siblings of people with autism who have children of their own between the ages of 6-18 months. The goal of the study is to better understand the development and behavior of young children/infants who have an autistic aunt or uncle through a series of virtual or in-person assessments at around ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 months (number of visits, up to max 4, depends on the age at which the child enrolls). We are hoping that this research will be helpful for the parents by providing a summary assessment of the child’s current skills across different areas of development, as well as for the community by improving early screening and diagnostic efforts for children with an autistic aunt or uncle.

• Adult (18 years or older)
• Has a child between 0-18 months of age
• Has a sibling with a diagnosis of autism

Participants can expect to complete a series of virtual or in-person assessments at around ages 6, 12, 18, and 24 months (number of visits, up to max 4, depends on the age at which the child enrolls). During the assessments, we will evaluate the child’s social behaviors, cognitive ability, language, and motor skills. We will also ask the parent to complete some questionnaires and a clinical interview. Each assessment should take no more than 1.5 hours

We are hoping that this research will be helpful for the parents by providing a summary assessment of the child’s current skills across different areas of development, as well as for the community by improving early screening and diagnostic efforts for children with an autistic aunt or uncle.