Studies indicate that stress levels of autistic adolescents may be particularly high. Therefore, support is needed to help them deal with their stressors. Stress Autism Mate (SAM) Junior, a mobile self-help tool, was designed in co-creation with adolescents with autism to help reduce daily stress levels. The app is based on the SAM app, which was previously shown to be effective in reducing stress in autistic adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the SAM Junior app in reducing perceived stress and maladaptive coping styles, and increasing adaptive coping styles and quality of life in adolescents with autism.

A total of 24 Dutch adolescents with autism participated in this Single Case Experimental Design study. Sixteen of them (9 girls and 7 boys; Mage = 15.0 years, SD = 1.9) completed all research phases. Data were collected at four time points separated by four weeks: Control, pre-test, post-test and follow-up. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the data.

At post-test, use of the SAM Junior app had no significant effects on participants' perceived stress (B = 0.31; 95% CI [-1.59, 2.22], p = .73), adaptive coping (B = -1.38; 95% CI [-5.69, 2.94], p = .51), maladaptive coping (B = -0.63; 95% CI [-4.56, 3.30], p = .74) and quality of life (B = -4.13; 95% CI [-12.19, 3.94], p = .29). These non-significant effects persisted at follow-up.

Current preliminary results do not show effectiveness of the SAM Junior app to support adolescents with autism. Using the app as intended, without professional supervision, may have been too complex for this population. Further research is needed to determine the potential effects of the SAM Junior app with more certainty.

This case study examines the effective use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools in enhancing communication skills in a 15-year-old male with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Initially exhibiting non-verbal tendencies, the subject experienced significant improvements in communication and social interaction following the introduction of a letter board and subsequent transition to an iPad. These AAC tools facilitated a marked development in his ability to articulate thoughts, engage in academic activities, and express complex ideas, particularly in science. The study highlights the role of AAC in expanding the communicative capabilities of individuals with limited or no verbal language, demonstrating notable advancements in both verbal expression and cognitive engagement. The findings underscore the transformative impact of personalized AAC interventions and suggest the potential for broader application in ASD support strategies. This case highlights the need for further research, including randomized controlled trials, to explore the efficacy of AAC tools in diverse ASD contexts.

This article presents a systematic review on autism care, diagnosis, and intervention based on mobile apps running on smartphones and tablets. Here, the term "intervention" means a carefully planned set of activities with the objective of improving autism symptoms. We guide our review on related studies using five research questions. First, who benefits the most from these mobile apps? Second, what are the primary purposes of these mobile apps? Third, what mechanisms have been incorporated in these mobiles apps to improve usability? Fourth, what guidelines have been used in the design and implementation of these mobile apps? Fifth, what theories and frameworks have been used as the foundation for these mobile apps to ensure the intervention effectiveness? As can be seen from these research questions, we focus on the usability and software development of the mobile apps. Informed by the findings of these research questions, we propose a taxonomy for the mobile apps and their users. The mobile apps can be categorized into autism support apps, educational apps, teacher training apps, parental support apps, and data collection apps. The individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are the primary users of the first two categories of apps. Teachers of children with ASD are the primary users of the teacher training apps. Parents are the primary users of the parental support apps, while individuals with ASD are usually the primary users of the data collection apps and clinicians and autism researchers are the beneficiaries. Gamification, virtual reality, and autism-specific mechanisms have been used to improve the usability of the apps. User-centered design is the most popular approach for mobile app development. Augmentative and alternative communication, video modeling, and various behavior change practices have been used as the theoretical foundation for intervention efficacy.