We are no longer recruiting Focus Group participants.

An ongoing challenge for research and practice in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) is how best to manage the exceptional heterogeneity of the clinical phenotype when measuring severity and changes in symptoms and how to capture socially valid and clinically meaningful outcomes in evaluation and treatment. 

As researchers continue struggling to identify what to measure and how to support individuals on the autism spectrum and their families, the field needs to hear the voices of the stakeholders: individuals with ASD and their families and professionals working with the population directly.

Focus groups provide a platform for stakeholders with similar interests but possibly different opinions to freely share their opinions regarding the essential topics in the field. These discussions are essential for information-gathering on socially and clinically meaningful outcomes and identifying needs and priorities to guide future efforts in measurement and treatment development for individuals with ASD and their families.

Our team is hosting re-occurring themed focus groups to gather information on the lived experiences of community stakeholders.