Spotted around the web: Scientific jargon, savant social skills, impostor syndrome

Here is a roundup of news and research for the week of 17 February.

By Jill Adams
21 February 2020 | 3 min read

This article is more than five years old.

Neuroscience—and science in general—is constantly evolving, so older articles may contain information or theories that have been reevaluated since their original publication date.

Research roundup

  • Self-injury is associated with suicidal behavior in autistic people who do not have intellectual disability. Molecular Autism
  • Specialized recruiting practices and committed supervisors are key for making workplaces more inclusive for people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilition
  • A 10-step process can help neuroscientists model the biological processes they study. eNeuro
  • The use of jargon, even when it is defined, can lower a reader’s comprehension of scientific information. Journal of Language and Social Psychology
  • Mutations of a gene called CDC42BPB may be associated with autism and intellectual disability. American Journal of Medical Genetics
  • The American Academy of Neurology has issued a new guideline for sleep problems in children and teenagers with autism. Neurology
  • Autistic people with savant abilities tend to have stronger social skills than others on the spectrum. Scientific Reports
  • Older adults who have a close relative with autism experience more mental health challenges than those with no family ties to the condition. Autism Research
  • Parents of young adults with autism talk to their children about sexuality, but not about how the condition might affect sexual relationships. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
  • Autistic and typical people modify their behavior to fit in socially, but those with autism do so more often. Molecular Autism
  • After 24 weeks of pivotal response treatment, a form of applied behavior analysis, autistic children vocally responded to their parents more often. Autism

Science and society

  • The Trump administration’s 2021 budget proposal includes cuts to nearly a dozen federal science and technology agencies. Science
  • A California-based company called Cognoa is distributing an app to screen for autism traits; diagnostic and therapeutic apps by the same company are awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Fierce Biotech
  • Fear and suspicion greet people who have epilepsy, writes an academic with the condition. Wellcome Collection
  • Colleges and universities seeking to increase diversity and inclusion should address ‘impostor syndrome’ by acknowledging it and providing support for students and new faculty. Science
  • Getting an autism diagnosis gave author Sarah Kurchak a new outlook and perspective on life. Vox
  • Emergency responders in in Saginaw, Michigan, have equipped their ambulances with autism sensory kits that include noise-cancelling ear muffs and fidget devices. MLive

Autism and the arts

  • Two autistic artists presented their work at a literary festival in Kochi, India. The Hindu

Publishing

  • A Virginia-based nonprofit technology organization called the Center for Open Science has created a measure for evaluating scientific research articles based on transparency and reproducibility. Center for Open Science

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