Our understanding of HFASDs is in its infancy. This highlights the need for sound research examining a range of questions associated with the disorders. The research team associated with Connections has conducted and continues to conduct studies involving treatments and intervention, clinical and associated features, assessment strategies, and development of outcome and measurement tools, along with others. The following is a list of selected autism spectrum disorders publications by members of the research team (the list is in chronological order beginning with the most recent).

Following the list you will find contact information if you would like to participate in upcoming studies or have your child participate. In addition to children with HFASDs and their parents, we are seeking children with no-known disability and their parents to serve as a comparison group.

Lopata, C., Volker, M. A., Putnam, S., Thomeer, M. L., & Nida, R. E. (in press). Effect of social familiarity on salivary cortisol and self-reports of social anxiety and stress in children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Volker, M. A., Lopata, C., Smith, D. A., & Thomeer, M. L. (in press). Facial encoding of children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities.

Lee, G. K., Lopata, C., Volker, M. A., Thomeer, M. L., Toomey, J. A., Chow, S. Y., & Smerbeck, A. M. (in press). Health-related quality of life of parents of children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities.

Lopata, C., Gitman, K., Toomey, J. A., Volker, M. A., Nida, R. E., Thomeer, M. L., & McDonald, C. A. (in press). Experimental study examining the effect of social familiarity on behavioral manifestations of stress and anxiety in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders. In F. Columbus (Eds.), Stress: Causes, effects, and control. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science.

Toomey, J. A., Lopata, C., Volker, M. A., & Thomeer, M. L. (in press). Comprehensive intervention for high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: An in-depth case study. In F. Columbus (Eds.), Special Education. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science.

Lee, G. K., Berry, C., Lopata, C., Volker, M. A., Thomeer, M., Nida, R., & Rodgers, J. (in press). Psychosocial adjustment of caregivers of children with high functioning autism spectrum disorders. In F. Columbus (Eds.), Stress: Causes, effects and control. Hauppauge, NY: NOVA Science Publishers.

Lee, G. K. (in press). Fathers and mothers of children with high functioning autism: How well do they cope and adjust? Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities.

Volker, M. A., & Lopata, C. (2008). Autism: A review of biological bases, assessment, and intervention. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(2), 258-270.

Lopata, C., Thomeer, M. L., Volker, M. A., Nida, R. E., & Lee, G. K. (2008). Effectiveness of a manualized summer social treatment program for high-functioning children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 38(5), 890-904.

Lopata, C., Volker, M. A., Toomey, J. A., Chow, S. Y., & Thomeer, M. L. (2008). Asperger’s and other high functioning autism spectrum disorders: A review of group-based social enhancement research and a model for school-based social intervention. In F. Columbus (Eds.), School Psychology: 21st Century Issues and Challenges (pp. 299-325). Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science.

Lopata, C., Hamm, E. M., Volker, M. A., Sowinski, J. E., & Thomeer, M. L. (2007). Motor and visuomotor skills of children with Asperger’s disorder: Preliminary findings. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 104, 1183-1192.

Anderson, S. R., Jablonski, A., Thomeer, M. L., & Madaus-Knapp, V. (2007). Striving for independence: A guide to teaching lifeskills to young children with autism. Bethesda, MD: Woodbine Press.

Lopata, C., Thomeer, M. L., Volker, M. A., & Nida, R. E. (2006). Effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral treatment on the social behaviors of children with Asperger’s disorder. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 12(4), 237-244.

If you are interested in learning more about specific research studies or would like to participate in ongoing research, please contact Dr. Marcus Thomeer at mthomeer@summited.org or Dr. Christopher Lopata at cjlopata@buffalo.edu. Participation has many benefits including access to resources and possibly free-of-cost treatment when available.

Valid research also requires comparison groups of children, siblings, and parents of children without AD. If you would be willing to volunteer to have your child/children or yourself as a participant in research, please contact Dr. Marcus Thomeer at mthomeer@summited.org or Dr. Christopher Lopata at cjlopata@buffalo.edu.