APA 2025 Annual Meeting Recap – Autism Spectrum Disorder Highlights

Published: August 11, 2025

The American Psychological Association just wrapped up its 2025 annual conference. The APA2025 conference was held in Denver, Colorado, from August 7 through August 9, 2025. We previewed the annual conference a few weeks ago, focusing on six presentations related to autism spectrum disorder. Today, we are featuring some of the insightful posters presented at APA2025 that also focus on autism spectrum disorder.

The following are just a sample of the poster presentations on not only autism spectrum disorder, but the hundreds of posters presented at APA2025. For a complete overview of posters presented at the conference, visit the official website.

Autistic Drivers Exhibit Suboptimal Visual Scanning Patterns Compared to Non-autistic Drivers

Description: This study investigated how autistic drivers differ from their non-autistic counterparts in scanning patterns while driving. The study included 14 autistic and 17 non-autistic drivers ranging in age from 16 to 30. Eye-tracking data was collected during a driving simulation to compare average gaze position, scanning spread, gaze duration, and other qualities.
Conclusion: Autistic drivers demonstrated less optimal visual scanning patterns compared to their non-autistic counterparts, particularly in vertical gaze spread and gaze duration. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to improve visual scanning strategies for autistic drivers.

Detecting Autism Symptoms in Youth: Utilizing the BESS and ASRS Measures

Description: Although the Behavioral and Emotion Screening System (BESS) screens for externalizing behaviors (Ryan & Kamphaus, 2007) and the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales (ASRS) aim to identify ASD (Goldstein & Naglieri, 2009), there is little research investigating using these tools to capture externalizing behaviors as an aspect of ASD for wide-scale screenings. This project is the first to review these measures as a method of identifying students engaging in externalizing behaviors and providing direction for a potential ASD evaluation.
Conclusion: Given the negative impact of engagement in these behaviors for youth with autism, early identification of ASD facilitates timely intervention, enhancing social, academic, and emotional functioning to support well-being across the lifespan.

Improving Social Communication Level for Mildly Autistic Children Using Video Call-based Mobile App

Description: This study improved social communication skills for preschool children aged 4-6 with mild autism by using a mobile application game that relies on video conferencing technology, personalized experience, positive reinforcement, and an AI text-to-speech algorithm.
Conclusion: The application is an effective tool to improve social communication skills for mildly autistic children all around the country three times more than regular therapy, regardless of their gender or socioeconomic background, taking the first step towards the formation of a global network for mildly autistic children.

The Effects of Contextual Visual Information on Emotion Recognition in Children with Autism

Description: This study examined the relationship between the visual information provided by human models and environmental contexts and the ability to recognize expressed emotions.
Conclusion: Within the autism group, there were significant improvements in emotion identification accuracy as the level of visual information increased from the faces (41%) to heads (52%), to bodies (59%), to bodies in neutral contexts (71%), to bodies in congruent contexts (83%). These results indicate that extra-facial and contextual visual information significantly positively affects the emotion recognition of children with autism.

Experiences of Black Autistics in their First Year at HBCU: A Phenomenological Analysis

Description: The researchers explored narratives of the lived experiences of BAP who participated in a focus group to disclose their experiences as supporters of and advocates for their Black autistic students during the first year of study at 4-year historically black colleges and universities in the northeastern region of the United States.
Conclusion: The findings suggest a general lack of knowledge, training, and programmatic preparedness to address the needs of Black people with autism during their first year of study at 4-year historically black colleges and universities.

Efficacy of a Novel Transition to Adulthood Group for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Description: To support parents and youth with ASD, and to optimize future outcomes for these youth and their families, a local hospital-based Autism Center developed and implemented a small group series called Preparing for Adult Life. Uniquely, these groups are delivered via a live, virtual format with parent and youth present addressing important topics such as adult health transition, knowledge of physical and mental health conditions, medication management, relationships and sexual health, self-advocacy, safety, financial independence and goal setting.
Conclusion: Future research will follow-up with families to determine on-going change in their preparation, explore other possible demographic differences, and establish control group findings to compare intervention and wait list groups.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Autism Detection: Diagnostic and Treatment Implications

Description: This article is an examination of the racial and ethnic differences that exist in the detection of symptoms of autism spectrum disorder and how these disparities impact diagnosis and treatment.
Conclusion: Culturally competent care can enhance services and outcomes for these disadvantaged families. Findings suggested that structural injustice and inclusive autism spectrum disorder assessment and treatment should be addressed promptly.