The “Enhanced perceptual functioning model” and the “Veridical mapping model” have been proposed to explain the presence and nature of special abilities in autism. Here， we propose an important update to these two models， by combining them with autistic idiosyncratic language development. The “special abilities” of individuals with autism are achieved by redirecting language analyzers toward structured， yet socially unbiased material， which explains how these special skills extend language processing to materials beyond language. Calendar calculation serves as a test of this theory， in which language analyzers are redirected to calendars， a possible consequence of non-social learning. Non-social learning itself results from the bifurcation caused by the absence of social bias in overall information processing. The longitudinal and operational properties of calendar calculation are analogous to the language learning and processing characteristics of neurotypical populations. Combining the “hijacking” of human language analyzer and directing it towards non-communicative， language-like material provides a concise explanation for the common features of most autistic special abilities and integrates and enriches the “Veridical mapping model”.

Persons with prototypical autism often present unique strengths that traditional intelligence assessments overlook， together with absence of oral language at the preschool age. Here， we propose a strengths-based approach in understanding and engaging with non-verbal autistic children. It emphasizes recognizing unique intellectual abilities often masked by communication challenges and conventional understanding of repetitive behaviors. By observing these children’s interests in structured objects， patterns， and screens， caregivers and clinicians can gain insights into their cognitive potential. We then present methods to leverage autistic strengths to support wellbeing of the families， including using “lateral tutorship” —a non-intrusive， side-by-side engagement method—as a way to connect with autistic children， respecting and utilizing their intrinsic learning style.

Autism research is evolving from a medical paradigm， which emphasizes deficits and interventions， to a neurodiversity paradigm that values autism as an integral part of human diversity. Historically， the medical paradigm’s focus on “rescue” efforts has distanced researchers from the autistic community， often failing to address the community’s real needs. In contrast， the neurodiversity paradigm advocates a comprehensive understanding of autism and the adoption of participatory research practices. This shift encourages active collaboration between researchers and autistic individuals， fostering inclusive knowledge production that is both meaningful and impactful for the autistic community. However， achieving this collaborative approach requires dismantling social barriers， such as power imbalances， that hinders effective partnership. This article explores the principles and practice of a neurodiversity-aligned participatory research approach and proposes a co-production framework designed to support researchers and the autistic community in advancing autism research that is relevant， respectful， and responsive.

Objective To investigate the presentations and related clinical characteristics of catatonic symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder （ASD） by using the Attenuated Behavior Questionnaire （ABQ） and related functional and emotional behavior questionnaires. Methods Children who were diagnosed with ASD in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University or other tertiary hospitals from November 2021 to December 2023 were selected. Reports from parents or long-term caregivers of children with ASD were collected through an online questionnaire. Children with ASD were divided into the ABQ screening positive and negative groups using ABQ questionnaire. Sheehan Disability Scale， Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised， Children’s Simplified Emotion Scale and Spence children’s Anxiety Scale were used to assess children’s functional impairment and related emotional behavior. Results Four hundred and forty-one valid questionnaires were collected. 166 children with ASD were screened positive by using the ABQ. The total scores of the first six core symptoms， motor symptoms， emotional changes and behavior changes in the ABQ questionnaire of ASD children in the positive group were significantly higher than those in the negative group （all P < 0.001）. All six core motor symptoms were commonly reported in the positive group， with “requiring prompts to complete actions” being the most reported， followed by “immobility， getting stuck， slowness in movement， and problems stopping actions once started”. Over 50% of the children in the positive screening group exhibited these symptoms. The days of functional loss and inefficiency in study/work， social life， family life/family responsibilities， and the proportion of “moderate” or above degree of disability of ASD children in the ABQ-positive group were higher than those in the negative group， and the differences were statistically significant （all P < 0.001）. The scores of stereotypical behaviors， self-injurious behavior， compulsive behavior， sameness/ritual behavior （all P < 0.001）， simplified emotion scale （P < 0.001） and anxiety scale （both P < 0.01） in the ABQ-positive group were significantly higher than those in the ABQ-negative group， and the differences were statistically significant. Conclusions Catatonic symptoms are not uncommon in children with ASD. ASD children complicated with such symptoms tend to exhibit more emotional and behavioral problems， as well as more severe functional impairment， underscoring the need for early identification and intervention.

Objective To explore the role of gestures in predicting the treatment outcomes of early behavioral interventions in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder（ASD） across the dimensions of quantity， communicative function and integration ability of gestures. Methods Twenty-four ASD children who received early behavioral interventions for three months from March 2018 to March 2019 were recruited in this study in Child Development and Behavior Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Before and after the interventions， a semi-structured interactive play paradigm was adopted to assess the gestures of ASD children. The social ability， adaptive behavior， and language expression of ASD children were evaluated by using the Adaptive Behavior Assessment System versionⅡ （ABAS-Ⅱ） and the Chinese Communication Development Inventory （CDI）. Multiple linear regression analysis was applied to predict the therapeutic effect by gestures in children with ASD. Results By comparing the ABAS-Ⅱ social skills domain （t=-5.850， P < 0.001）， conceptual skills domain （t=-5.548， P < 0.001）， practical skills domain （Z = -4.045， P < 0.001） and the total score （t = -6.771， P < 0.001）， as well as the CDI total score （Z = -3.263， P = 0.001）， the post-intervention scores of ASD children were significantly higher than their pre-intervention scores. Multiple linear regression model found that the frequency of eye gaze-integrated gestures before interventions in ASD children could predict the changes in the score of the social skills domain of the ABASⅡ （B = 1.565， P < 0.001） and the total score of the ABASⅡ （B = 7.331， P = 0.002）. Additionally， the total gesture frequency before interventions could predict the changes in the total score of the CDI （B = 17.089， P = 0.003）. Conclusions The ability to integrate gestures with eye gaze may predict the improvement in social skills and adaptive behavior after the interventions. The quantity of gestures could be an important predictor of progress in expressive language.

Objective To investigate the factors influencing parenting stress among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder （ASD）， aiming to provide personalized guidance and support for parental care in family interventions. Methods A total of 302 families with young children with ASD who received inpatient interventions at the Child Developmental and Behavioral Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from May 2022 to February 2024 and their parents were recruited to complete the questionnaires， which included Socioeconomic Status Scale （SES）， Parenting Stress Index-Short Form （PSI-SF）， Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition （SRS-2） and Adaptive Behavior Assessment System-Second Edition （ABAS-Ⅱ） of the children. Subsequently， relevant data were analyzed. Results There were no statistical differences in parenting stress among parents based on the gender of child， the age of child， parenting style， gender of the primary intervention parent， family annual income， father’s education， and mother’s occupation （all P > 0.05）. However， there were statistical differences in parenting stress among parents in terms of the number of children in the family， mother’s education， and father’s occupation （all P < 0.05）. The scores of PSI-SF were negatively correlated with the comprehensive scores of ABAS-Ⅱ for young children with ASD （P < 0.01）， whereas were positively correlated with the total scores and the score of each dimension of SRS-2 （P < 0.01）. The number of children in the family and ABAS-Ⅱ comprehensive score could not predict parenting stress， while mother’s education， father’s occupation and SRS-2 total score could predict parenting stress， explaining 26.8% of the variance in parenting stress. The effect size of SRS-2 total score was 0.17， contributing the most to regression equation. The main predictor of SRS was the restricted and repetitive behavior dimension （B = 0.709， β = 0.213， P < 0.05）， explaining 21.8% of the variance in parenting stress. Conclusions The more severe the social impairment in the young children with ASD， particularly in terms of restricted interests and repetitive behaviors， the greater the parenting stress. This suggests that in promoting family interventions guided by parents， we should not only focus on alleviating core social communication impairments， but also emphasize parents’ understanding and intervention in children’s restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.

Objective To explore the intervention dilemma of autistic children and their parents’ upbringing and growth experience， aiming to provide evidence for family support measures. Methods Through a descriptive phenomenological study， semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 parents of children with autism from January to April 2023 at Child Development and Behavior Center of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. And data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s 7-step method. Results The intervention dilemmas of children with autism were distilled into two themes： lack of knowledge and resources， and intra-family conflict and disagreement. The parenting and growth experiences of parents were distilled into three themes： inclusive and tenacious mentality， multi-dimensional improvement of ability， and family members’ reconstruction of self and life value. Conclusions Parents of children with autism face intervention dilemmas while having positive caring growth experiences. Supporting children with autism and helping parents positively cope with challenges is crucial.

Objective To evaluate the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy （ACT） on the psychological intervention of Asperger syndrome children aged 7-10 years. Methods A total of 60 Asperger syndrome children admitted to the Third Hospital of Fuzhou from January 1， 2023 to December 31， 2023 were enrolled and divided into the ACT （n = 30） and control groups （n = 30） using the random number table method. Children in the control group were given with health psychological education， and those in the ACT group received ACT on the basis of health psychological education. All children were investigated by using Aberrant Behavior Checklist （ABC）， Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders （SCARED）， Self-Rating Scale Depressive Disorder in Childhood （DSRSC）， Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-2nd Edition （AAQ-Ⅱ）， Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-Fusion （CFQ-F）， General Self-Efficacy Scale （GSES） before and after corresponding interventions and on-the-spot assessment. Results After interventions， the scores of ABC， DSRSC， SCARED， AAQ-Ⅱ and CFQ-F in the ACT group were lower than those before interventions and those in the control group after intervention， while the GSES score in the ACT group was higher than that before interventions and that in the control group after interventions， and the differences were statistically significant （all P < 0.05）. In the control group， no statistical significance was found in the scores of ABC， DSRSC， SCARED， GSES， AAQ-Ⅱ and CFQ-F before and after interventions （all P > 0.05）. The social interaction， verbal ability and total scores after intervention were lower than those before intervention in the ACT group （all P < 0.05）. In the ACT group， there was a negative correlation between self-efficiency score of GSES with DSRSC and SCARED scores （both P < 0.05）， and the experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion scores of AAQ-Ⅱ were positively correlated with the ABC scores （both P < 0.05）. Conclusions ACT can improve the psychological resilience of Asperger syndrome children aged 7-10 years， enhance their ability to deal with various stresses in life， alleviate the degree of experiential avoidance and cognitive integration and improve their social skills， which yields better overall effect than routine psychological health education.

Objective To explore the mediating role of behavioral regulation index （BRI） and metacognition index （MI）， two dimensions of executive function， in the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder （ADHD） symptoms and children’s emotional behavioral problems. Methods A total of 102 children with ADHD aged 6-12 years old who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition （DSM-5） criteria were selected as the study subjects. They were investigated with the self-made general situation questionnaire， the Chinese version of the Swanson Nolan and Pelham， version Ⅳ for ADHD （SNAP-Ⅳ）-parent form， Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function （BRIEF） -parent form， and parent edition of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire （SDQ）. Parallel mediating effect was analyzed. Results Positive correlations were found among attention deficit， hyperactivity-impulsivity， BRI， MI， and emotional behavioral problems， respectively （r = 0.409-0.934， all P < 0.001）. Attention deficit positively predicted BRI， MI and emotional behavioral problems （β = 1.459， 1.114， 0.294， all P < 0.01）. BRI and MI positively predicted emotional behavioral problems （β = 0.224， β = 0.080， both P < 0.05）， suggesting that behavioral regulation index and metacognition index played a partial mediating role between attention deficit and emotional behavioral problems， and the mediating effect accounted for 58.73% of the total effect. Hyperactive-impulsivity positively predicted BRI， MI and emotional behavioral problems （β = 1.071， 2.057， 0.223， all P < 0.05）， BRI positively predicted emotional behavioral problems （β = 0.333， P < 0.001）， but MI did not predict emotional behavioral problems （β = 0.026， P > 0.05）， indicating that only behavioral management played a partial mediating role between hyperactive-impulsivity and emotional behavioral problems. The mediating effect accounted for 64.72% of the total effect. Conclusion BRI and MI play a mediating role between emotional behavioral problems and symptoms in ADHD children.

Objective To examine the intervention effects of attention and emotional regulation training on children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder （ADHD）. Methods A total of 59 children with ADHD were recruited for group intervention in this randomized controlled double-blind trial. At the beginning and end of the intervention， two interviews were delivered for parents and six sessions of group intervention for children. All children were divided into the intervention groups with attention training （attention group） and emotional regulation training（emotional group） as the objectives， and contorl group. The SNAP-Ⅳ scale was used to assess ADHD symptoms before and after the intervention. Emotionality and Emotion Regulation Scale and other scales were used to measure emotional response and emotional regulation ability. The Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters scale was used to measure social skills. Results The scores for ADHD were decreased significantly in all three groups （all P < 0.05）. However， only two intervention groups showed a significant reduction in oppositional defiant disorder scores （both P < 0.05）. In terms of emotionality and emotional regulation， all three groups exhibited significant reductions in emotional reactivity scores （all P < 0.001） and scores for negative or unstable emotions （all P < 0.05）. However， only the emotional intervention and control groups demonstrated statistically significant improvements in emotional regulation ability （all P < 0.05）. For social skills， all three groups showed a significant decrease in self-centeredness scores （all P < 0.05）. Conclusions Both attention training and emotional regulation training intervention regimens effectively mitigate ADHD symptoms， improve emotional regulation ability， and social skills in children with ADHD. In the active control group， ADHD symptoms can be alleviated to certain extent， but it is insufficient in improving oppositional defiance. In the the emotional intervention and active control groups， a more significant impact on improving emotional dysregulation can be obtained than that in the attention intervention group.

Objective To evaluate the interventional effect of personalized rehabilitation training based on CHC cognitive theory and hypothesis testing CHC （HT-CHC） mode on children with specific learning disabilities （SLD）. Methods In this self-control study， 42 children with SLD who attended the Learning and Dyslexia Clinic of the Pediatric Hospital of Fudan University from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected. After diagnosis， they were assessed for cognitive abilities by the Sensory Integration Developmental Scale， Rapid Naming （Numbers， Figures）， Writing Performance Assessment Scale， No-Motion Visual Perception Test （MVPT-4）， Attention Deficit Checklist. Personalized rehabilitation training plans were formulated according to the assessment results， once a week for 10 sessions. Assessment data were collected pre-intervention and 3 months post-intervention for its own before-and-after control study. Results After the rehabilitation treatment， children with SLD showed significant improvement in sensory integration （vestibular sense， proprioception， and learning ability）， writing performance （neatness， pen grip engineering， and writing direction）， visual-perceptual function （visual discrimination， visual memory， spatial relationship， and visual completion）， rapid naming （rapid naming of numbers and pictures）， and attention compared with the pre-treatment period （all P < 0.05）. Conclusions Targeted rehabilitation training based on the HT-CHC mode can effectively improve the cognitive abilities of children with SLD.

This review provides an overview of the evolution and perceptions of the concept of autism within Western and Chinese contexts， as well as the perceptions of various groups toward official and related terminology. It emphasize the importance of language in constructing social cognition and values of autism， offering a guide to the translation， interpretation and usage of autism-related languages in Chinese. The discourse in the West surrounding “person-first language” and “identity-first language” reflects divergent perspectives on identity within the autistic community. In the Chinese context， the discourse on autism is largely led by professionals， with societal understanding of autism often shaped by medical and charity perspectives. Different Chinese users construct and perceive autism-related terms in diverse ways. The medical terms “孤独症” （gūdú zhèng） and “自闭症” （zìbì zhèng） carry stigmatizing connotations， especially “zìbì zhèng，” which， due to its negative association with self-imposed isolation， is often linked with negative labels such as “dangers” or “burdens.” Terms like “星星的孩子” （xīngxīng de háizi） and “闭娃” （bì wá）， despite their popularity， are criticized by the autistic community for their romanticized and demeaning connotations， and for overlooking adult autistic individuals. The term “孤独症谱系障碍” （gūdú zhèng pǔxì zhàng’ài） is preferred for its lesser stigmatizing implications. Autistic individuals prefer neutral and non-pathologizing expressions. This review calls for discussions of autism in the Chinese context to focus on individual experiences， respect their subjectivity， reflect on potential ableist tendencies， and promote the concept of neurodiversity， to foster a more comprehensive and inclusive societal understanding and acceptance of autistic people.