Research Focus

Our team's research addresses a fundamental issue of human development: how constraints imposed by brain development and core neurocognitive processes impact language acquisition and language processing in autism. The study of alterations in development can shine a powerful light on mechanisms of growth and change. Click on the “projects” link for more information.

Lab News

  • new publication on the Low Verbal Investigatory Survey
    We are delighted to share a new publication describing the Low Verbal Investigatory Survey (LVIS); the PDF will be available shortly. You can download the LVIS here. Eigsti, I. M., Tenenbaum, E., & Naples, A. (in press). Sensitivity and specificity of the Low Verbal Investigatory Survey in a large, diverse, American sample. Molecular Autism.  
    Posted on July 22, 2026
  • Check out some of our new publications!
    Baumeister, F., Wolfer, P., Vila Borrellas, E., Solaimani, E., Eigsti, I.-M., & Durrleman, S. (2026). Associations between second-language proficiency and executive functions in autistic and neurotypical children. Open Mind, 10, 613-640. Bell, R. R., Thomas, H., Saffran, J. R., & Eigsti, I. M. (2025). A systematic review of statistical learning in autism spectrum disorder. Molecular […]
    Posted on July 9, 2026
  • MOLA 2026 – CALL lab presenters
    Lab members Stella Shen, Rebecca Bell and Sarah Schillinger presented their work at the Meeting on Language in Autism,  2026.
    Posted on March 13, 2026
  • Uconn KIDS Events
    Come see members of UConn KIDS and fellow members of our lab at various events around town! You can go to the UConn KIDS website to find out more and see the next events coming up: https://kids.uconn.edu/
    Posted on November 1, 2024
  • Congrats to Hannah Thomas and Aditi Sirsikar on their new pub!
    Congrats to Hannah Thomas and undergraduate lab alum Aditi Sirsikar on their new publication, Convergence and discrepancy between self- and informant-reported depressive symptoms in young autistic adults in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.
    Posted on December 20, 2023
  • Congrats to Jason Crutcher on new pub on pragmatic language!
    Crutcher, J., Butler, E., Burke, J. D., Naigles, L., Fein, D. A., & Eigsti, I. M. (in press). Pragmatic language and associations with externalizing behaviors in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and those who have lost the ASD diagnosis. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders.
    Posted on September 15, 2023