In prior work, we showed that some individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder early in life later lose the symptoms of ASD. Our current study looks at a group of such individuals who are now young adults; we are asking how they are doing, especially as they become more independent. We are also studying adolescents who were diagnosed by our team in early childhood, to identify early childhood predictors of long-term outcomes, and to look at how their brains process social and non-social information. More broadly, this study probes early developmental predictors of important long-term outcomes (including things like happiness and satisfaction) in individuals with a history of early language/social delays.
Investigators
Inge-Marie Eigsti, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
Director, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Lab
Department of Psychological Sciences
Deborah Fein, Ph.D., ABPP-Cn
Principal Investigator
Director, Early Detection Lab
Department of Psychological Sciences
Study Staff
ALTOS Study
altos@uconn.edu
Cynthia Petersons
Project Coordinator
Department of Psychological Sciences
cynthia.petersons@uconn.edu
(860) 486-3085
Cynthia received her B.A. in Psychology from Uconn in 2021 and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology. Her research interests include the relationships among anxiety, the functionality of the amygdala, and emotional coping in neurodivergent and neurotypical children.
Postdoctoral Fellows
Caroline Larson, MEd, CCC-SLP/L, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychological Sciences
Caroline's research focuses on relationships between language and other cognitive factors in children with language disorders, including Developmental Language Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder, with the long-term goal of improving differential diagnosis and treatment.
Kathryn Prescott, PhD, CCC-SLP
Dr. Prescott's research investigates how individual child characteristics and cognitive mechanisms interact with specific features of the learning environment giving rise to structural language development in autistic children. The goal of this research is to better understand the heterogeneity in language ability across the spectrum and to provide personalized recommendations for speech-language therapy and environmental accommodations based on each child's unique profile of strengths and needs. Dr. Prescott is a certified speech-language pathologist with clinical experience in schools, early intervention, and outpatient pediatric clinical settings. She completed her Ph.D. in 2024 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the mentorship of Dr. Susan Ellis Weismer. Before that, she received her clinical Master's in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her B.S. in Communication Sciences & Disorders from Northwestern University.
Melina West, PhD, Project Alumnus
Postdoctoral Fellow
Department of Psychological Sciences
Publications
Neuroimaging Findings
Language comprehension and brain function in individuals with an optimal outcome from autism
Eigsti, I. M., Stevens, M., Schultz, R., Barton, M., Kelley, E., Naigles, L. R., . . . Fein, D. A. (2016). Language comprehension and brain function in individuals with optimal outcomes from autism. NeuroImage: Clinical, 10, 182-191. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2015.11.014
Developmental Findings
Accelerated head and body growth in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders: A comparative study of optimal outcome children
Mraz, K.D., Dixon, J., Dumont-Mathieu, T., & Fein, D. (2009). Accelerated head and body growth in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders: A comparative study of optimal outcome children. Journal of Child Neurology, 24(7), 833-845. doi:10.1177/0883073808331345
Behavioral Findings
Academic and Executive Function
Academic abilities in children and adolescents with a history of autism spectrum disorders who have achieved optimal outcomes
Troyb, E., Orinstein, A., Tyson, K., Helt, M., Eigsti, I. M., Stevens, M., & Fein, D. (2013). Academic abilities in children and adolescents with a history of autism spectrum disorders who have achieved optimal outcomes. Autism, 18(3), 233-243. doi: 10.1177/1362361312473519
Executive functioning in individuals with a history of ASDs who have achieved optimal outcomes
Troyb, E., Rosenthal, M., Eigsti, I. M., Kelley, E., Tyson, K., Orinstein, A., . . . Fein, D. (2013). Executive functioning in individuals with a history of ASDs who have achieved optimal outcomes. Child Neuropsychology, 3(3). doi:10.1080/09297049.2013.799644
Symptoms
Psychiatric Symptoms in Youth with a History of Autism and Optimal Outcome
Orinstein, A., Tyson, K. E., Suh, J., Troyb, E., Helt, M., Rosenthal, M., Barton, M., Eigsti, I.M., . . . Fein, D. A. (2015). Psychiatric Symptoms in Youth with a History of Autism and Optimal Outcome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(11), 3703-3714. doi: 3710.1007/s10803-10015-12520-10808.
Social Function and Communication in Optimal Outcome Children and Adolescents with an Autism History on Structured Test Measures
Orinstein, A. J., Suh, J., Porter, K., De Yoe, K. A., Tyson, K. E., Troyb, E., Barton, M., Eigsti, I.M., Stevens, M., Fein, D. A. (2015). Social Function and Communication in Optimal Outcome Children and Adolescents with an Autism History on Structured Test Measures. J Autism Dev Disord., 45(8), 2443-2463. doi: 2410.1007/s10803-10015-12409-10806.
Ratings of Broader Autism Phenotype and Personality Traits in Optimal Outcomes from Autism Spectrum Disorder
Suh, J., Orinstein, A., Barton, M., Chen, C. M., Eigsti, I. M., Ramirez-Esparza, N., & Fein, D. (2016). Ratings of broader autism phenotype and personality traits in optimal outcomes from autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 3505-18. 10.1007/s10803-016-2868-4
Restricted and Repetitive Behaviors in Individuals with a History of ASDs Who Have Achieved Optimal Outcomes
Troyb, E., Orinstein, A., Tyson, K., Eigsti, I. M., Naigles, L., & Fein, D. (2014). Restricted and repetitive behaviors in individuals with a history of ASDs who have achieved optimal outcomes. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(12), 3168-3184. doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2182-y
Intervention History
Intervention for Optimal Outcome in Children and Adolescents with a History of Autism
Orinstein, A., Helt, M., Troyb, E., Tyson, K., Barton, M. L., Eigsti, I. M., . . . Fein, D. A. (2014). Intervention for optimal outcome in children and adolescents with a history of autism. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 35(4), 247-256. doi:10.1097/DBP.0000000000000037
Language
Language and Verbal Memory in Individuals with a History of Autism Spectrum Disorders Who Have Achieved Optimal Outcomes
Tyson, K., Kelley, E., Fein, D., Orinstein, A., Troyb, E., Barton, M., Eigsti, I.M.,. . . Rosenthal, M. (2014). Language and verbal memory in individuals with a history of autism spectrum disorders who have achieved optimal outcomes. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(3), 648-663. doi: 610.1007/s10803-10013-11921-10809.
Story Goodness in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and in Optimal Outcomes From ASD
Canfield, A. R., Eigsti, I. M., de Marchena, A., & Fein, D. (2016). Story goodness in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders and in optimal outcomes from ASD. Journal of Speech, Language and Hearing Research, 59, 533–545. doi:10.1044/2015_JSLHR-L-15-0022
Narrative Performance of Optimal Outcome Children and Adolescents with a History of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Suh, J., Eigsti, I. M., Naigles, L. R., Barton, M., Kelley, E., & Fein, D. (2014). Narrative performance of Optimal Outcome children and adolescents with a history of an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44, 1681-1694. doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2042-9
Detail and Gestalt Focus in Individuals with Optimal Outcomes from Autism Spectrum Disorders
Fitch, A., Fein, D. A., & Eigsti, I. M. (2015). Detail and gestalt focus in individuals with optimal outcomes from autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(6), 1887-1896. doi: 1810.1007/s10803-10014-12347-10808.
Uh, Um, and Autism: Filler Disfluencies as Pragmatic Markers in Adolescents with Optimal Outcomes from Autism Spectrum Disorder
Irvine, C. A., Eigsti, I. M., & Fein, D. A. (2016). Uh, Um, and autism: Filler disfluencies as pragmatic markers in adolescents with optimal outcomes from autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46, 1061-70. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2651-y
Residual Language Deficits in Optimal Outcome Children with a History of Autism
Kelley E., Paul J.J., Fein D., Naigles L.R. Residual language deficits in optimal outcome children with a history of autism. J. Autism Dev. Disord. 2006;36(6):807–828.
An in-depth examination of optimal outcome children with a history of autism spectrum disorders
Kelley E., Naigles L.R., Fein D.A. An in-depth examination of optimal outcome children with a history of autism spectrum disorders. Res. Autism Spectr. Disord. 2010;4:526–538.
Residual Difficulties with Categorical Induction in Children with a History of Autism
Naigles LR, Kelley E, Troyb E, Fein D. Residual difficulties with categorical induction in children with a history of autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. 43: 2048-61. PMID 23321802 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-012-1754-y
More is less: pitch discrimination and language delays in children with optimal outcomes from autism
Eigsti, I. M., & Fein, D. A. (2013). More is less: pitch discrimination and language delays in children with optimal outcomes from autism. Autism Research, 6(6), 605-613. doi: 610.1002/aur.1324. Epub 2013 Aug 1008.