The autumn issue of “Autism and Developmental Disorders” (No. 3, 2026) has been published, featuring eight research articles.
The issue opens with an article by M.A. Shvetsova and N.V. Andrushchenko in the “ASD Research” section, focusing on early speech development in children born prematurely with perinatal hypoxic-ischemic lesions of the central nervous system. The authors examined the development of 36 children aged two to three years and identified an association between neurodynamic and regulatory development and expressive speech measures.
Two articles in the issue address the psychological well-being of mothers raising children with ASD. V.P. Gertseva and O.A. Goncharov compared the time perspectives and hardiness of mothers raising children with autism, children with Down syndrome, and children without disabilities. The authors note that working through negative past experiences and applying approaches based on the time perspective model may help reduce stress and improve parents’ psychological well-being. A.S. Kuzmina, I.Ya. Stoyanova, and K.O. Krivoshey investigated psychological predictors of mothers’ attitudes toward their children's ASD diagnosis. The findings showed that maternal self-attitude plays a key role in perceptions of the child's condition: low self-interest was associated with more frequent anxiety reactions, while low self-respect was associated with a tendency to overestimate symptom severity. Emotional support and self-respect, in contrast, were associated with reduced overall distress related to the child's condition.
A review by K.K. Danilina, K.R. Salimova, and A.V. Khaustov examines the effectiveness of augmentative and alternative communication systems for children with ASD. The authors found that these systems support the development of communication skills, vocabulary growth, and improvements in expressive and receptive language. Their use may also be accompanied by reductions in challenging behavior, anxiety, and aggression, as well as improvements in interpersonal relationships.
N.V. Zvereva examined developmental crises in children and adolescents with autism, schizophrenia, and intellectual disabilities. Based on a review of the scientific literature and clinical cases, the author demonstrated that the manifestations of developmental crises depend significantly on the type of psychological dysontogenesis and the presence of mental illness.
An article by K. Konev and Roshchina considers supplementary education as a factor in the psychological development of children with disabilities. The authors analyze its influence from the perspective of the bioecological model of development and emphasize the importance of interactions among three microsystems: school, family, and supplementary education institutions.
The “Models of Comprehensive Support” section features a study by I.A. Nigmatullina, V.V. Garashchenko, and O.V. Balandina devoted to developing a modular competency-based model of continuing professional education for teachers working with children with ASD. A total of 149 educators participated in the survey, including preschool teachers, schoolteachers, special education teachers, and speech therapists. The study found a moderate level of professional competency development across all categories of specialists. The most pronounced gaps concerned working within interdisciplinary teams supporting children with ASD and their families, as well as applying preventive approaches and technologies aimed at preventing the progression of disorders.
The assessment of early childhood development is addressed in a study by N.V. Romanovsky, O.E. Strikha, Yu.A. Chaika, and A.G. Peshkovskaya. The authors propose a diagnostic method for assessing children's development from birth to three years of age through interaction with a significant adult. The method is designed to identify characteristics of communication, object-related activities, and sensory development, as well as difficulties associated with insufficiently developed parenting competencies.
This year marks the 80th birthday of Tatiana I. Morozova, co-founder of the regional public charitable organization “Dobro” Society for Assistance to Autistic Children. The issue concludes with a congratulatory message to Tatiana Ivanovna.