Evidence suggests musicians have enhanced audiovisual and emotion recognition abilities. However, these two lines of research have generally been separated in the literature, despite these processes being similarly altered in certain populations (e.g., autism, schizophrenia). The current systematic review presents a comprehensive picture of the effect of music training on behavioural and neural changes in audiovisual and emotion recognition processes, to better understand where they might overlap or share any similarities. It additionally assessed the impact of different music training factors (i.e., training onset, length, type of musical instrument and the type of research task). Finally, this review aimed to produce a clearer understanding of whether the effects of music training extend beyond the music and sound domain. Following PRISMA guidelines, 64 papers were identified, of which 41 examined audiovisual processing, 20 investigated emotion processing, and three examined both processes. The available evidence revealed a consistent musician's advantage for some audiovisual processes (e.g., audiovisual temporal correspondence), with some evidence that this advantage extended beyond the music domain. Consistent musician's advantages were also found for processing basic emotions from speech prosody, with some evidence that this extended to complex emotions. A shared brain network for these effects was identified comprising the anterior cingulate cortex and superior frontal gyrus. Together, our findings suggest that audiovisual and emotion recognition processes share a number of similarities in how music training can shape them. Further research should directly explore the combined effect of music training on multisensory and emotion recognition to inform effective music interventions aimed at enhancing these processes.

INTRODUCTION:Autism spectrum disorder is more prevalent in children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) than the general population, and autistic children with T1D encounter additional challenges compared with children with either condition alone. This presents unique challenges for their caregivers, and key models emphasize the need for the expansion of social networks to support caregivers and improve their physical and mental health. The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a psychoeducation compassion-focused therapy (CFT)-based program developed for caregivers of autistic children with T1D. METHOD:A total of 11 caregivers attended the program, delivered by an assistant psychologist and trainee clinical psychologist (both English-speaking), which included three 90-min psychoeducation workshops utilizing CFT principles to target caregivers' specific needs. Feasibility was evaluated using recruitment, attendance, retention, and data completion metrics, and a thematic analysis was completed on qualitative data collected in August 2023 from seven participants (six mothers and one grandmother). RESULTS:The thematic analysis developed five themes, including perceived value from peer support, gaining knowledge, developing coping skills, managing emotional states, and long-term peer support. The metrics related to recruitment, attendance, and retention supported the feasibility of program delivery, along with moderate feasibility for research data collection. DISCUSSION:The findings offer evidence for the feasibility of delivering the psychoeducation CFT-based program within U.K. health care services and perceived benefits in social support, well-being, and self-efficacy, which reflects the perceived usefulness and appropriateness of the program to the participants. Further research is required to improve data collection procedures and evaluate program effectiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).

There has been growing recognition that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents differently in females than in males, and our current understanding of autism is male-centric. This may produce barriers towards appropriate recognition of autistic characteristics in key social areas, such as healthcare, which could affect referral for assessments and accurate autism diagnosis for females. While there are many studies reporting about patient perspectives on the autism diagnostic process, there is a dearth of research investigating the perspectives of healthcare professionals about the female presentation of autism. The present study aimed to explore the perspectives of NHS healthcare professionals (HCPs) on the recognition, referral, and diagnosis of autism in female patients across the lifespan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eleven NHS HCPs and a reflexive thematic analysis was carried out to identify the key themes. The results revealed themes about gender biases and diagnostic overshadowing as important general barriers towards autism recognition and diagnosis for females within the NHS healthcare system. Themes involving systemic barriers were also identified as limiting the recognition of female autistic presentation, which included issues about time constraints and a lack of training. Several facilitators towards better diagnosis of autism in females were identified, which emphasised changes to current practice and diagnostic criteria to better account for the heterogeneity of female autism, and a more integrated approach to referrals with the education sector. Together, these findings have implications for healthcare service development and implementation for the classification of autism, suggesting targeted training and diagnostic adaptions to improve the experience and accuracy of the pathway of females for a diagnosis of autism.

The Dual Process Theory of Autism proposes that those high in autistic traits, including autistic individuals, have both a reduced propensity for intuition and an enhanced propensity for deliberation. Whilst intuition is rapid and autonomous, many factors impact upon deliberation, and an intolerance of uncertainty may mediate the relationship between autistic traits and propensity for deliberation (but not intuition). Two studies were conducted to explore this hypothesis. In Study 1, 266 non-autistic participants completed an online self-report assessment of autistic traits, propensity for deliberation and intuition and intolerance of uncertainty. Mediation analyses explored the extent to which intolerance of uncertainty mediated the relationship between autistic traits and propensity for deliberation and intuition. Study 2 was a replication of Study 1 with 258 autistic participants. Results from both studies showed that, while higher autistic traits had no direct relationship with propensity for deliberation, this relationship was fully mediated by intolerance of uncertainty. Prospective intolerance of uncertainty (a desire for predictability) specifically was the significant mediator. In addition, higher autistic traits directly related to reduced propensity for intuition. Comparison of Studies 1 and 2 confirmed greater propensity for deliberation and reduced propensity for intuition in the autistic group compared to the non-autistic group, consistent with the Dual Process Theory of Autism. The findings extend the Dual Process Theory of Autism to suggest that a desire for predictability is a key mechanism underpinning enhanced propensity for deliberation in individuals with higher level of autistic traits, including autism.

Many studies report changes to social cognition after delivering transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to the scalp. Across multiple paradigms, it is unclear whether changes in social cognition are a result of modulating fundamental cognitive processes, like attention-shifting, or multidimensional ones, like theory of mind. The aim of this study was to segment theory of mind into component processes and examine how tDCS modulates task performance in each to clarify the role of the temporoparietal junction in social cognition. Three stimulation conditions were used: anodal, cathodal, and sham. tDCS was applied to the right temporoparietal junction whilst participants completed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task, a shape association self-other distinction task, and the Wisconsin card-sorting task. Results showed no significant differences between anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS conditions, as well as no significant change in task accuracy from before tDCS was applied to during tDCS being applied (p = .05). A significant difference in task performance was found between the three tasks. Exploratory analyses showed a significant, un-corrected task by stimulation by time point interaction, which is likely driven by the difference in task difficulty. The efficacy of tDCS remains unclear, and we highlight a potential file-drawer problem in this field.

BackgroundGender Dysphoria (GD) is associated with poor mental health and a pre-occupation with gender related thoughts, and can be experienced by neurotypical and autistic people. While researchers have raised critical issues about the three key measures of GD used in the literature, no qualitative research to date has reported the views and opinions of GD measures from neurotypical or autistic people with lived experience of GD.MethodsThe present study conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 participants (mean age = 36.2 years, SD = 20.4; 8 neurotypical/5 autistic) with self-reported lived experience of GD to obtain their views about the three key GD measures.ResultsReflective thematic analysis was conducted and four themes were developed from the data about the measures: (1) Outdated gender concepts and usage, (2) Issues with the measurement of core GD features, (3) Language issues, and (4) Recommendations to improve GD measures.ConclusionsThe views and opinions of participants with a lived experience of GD about the three most commonly used and reported GD measures in the literature included that the measures would not accurately represent their experience of GD, would not suitably measure their degree of GD, and they would not be inclined to answer all of the questions on the items nor even potentially participate in research using these measures. Future research could utilize their recommendations about measuring GD for research purposes to better represent the preferences of the user group and to be inclusive to a diverse range of people.

Interpersonal neural synchrony provides a neural index of how individuals align cognitively and socially during interaction. While previous work has shown that personality traits shape interpersonal behavior, and that trait similarity can enhance dyadic coordination, little is known about whether such similarity predicts neural synchrony. The present study used an electroencephalography (EEG) hyper-scanning methodology to investigate the relationship between the degree of similarity in Big 5 scores of interacting participants in dyads and their interbrain synchrony during naturalistic dialogue. A total of 23 female dyads completed the Big 5 questionnaire and performed a goal-oriented social task while each wearing lightweight EEG headsets. Similarity for each Big 5 personality scale was created by calculating the absolute difference between the two participants within each dyad. Interpersonal neural synchrony was measured using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW), which quantified the similarity between separate temporal signals, based on a time-frequency decomposition of EEG. Results showed that similarity of Conscientiousness scores within dyads significantly predicted interpersonal neural synchrony within dyads (with openness showing marginal prediction). No relationship was evident for any other Big 5 trait. These findings demonstrate that personality similarity, particularly in conscientiousness, contributes to interpersonal neural synchrony, highlighting a trait-based pathway through which social alignment emerges during naturalistic interaction.

Research has demonstrated a strong relationship between autism and gender dysphoria (GD) and that this relationship could be explained by obsessional interests which are characteristic of autism. However, these studies often measured obsessions using either single items which questions the reliability of the findings, or within autistic trait measures meaning the findings may simply index a more general relationship between autistic traits and GD. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the relationships between obsessional thoughts and traits of GD using a measure of obsessional thoughts alongside a measure of autistic traits, which was investigated in both non-clinical and clinical samples. A total of 145 non-clinical participants took part in Study 1 and all completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) as a measure of autistic traits, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) obsessional thoughts subscale as a measure of obsessional thoughts, and the Gender-Identity/Gender-Dysphoria Questionnaire (GIDYQ) to measure traits of GD. For Study 2, a total of 226 participants took part in Study 2 and all completed the same measures as in Study 1. They included participants diagnosed with GD (N = 49), autism (N = 65), OCD (N = 46) and controls with no diagnosis (N = 66). The hierarchical linear regression for Study 1 showed that both total AQ and OCI-R obsessional thoughts scores were uniquely associated with GIDYQ scores, with no interaction effect between the scores. The results for Study 2, from a hierarchical linear regression, once again found that obsessional thoughts and autistic traits were each uniquely associated with GIDYQ scores, but not their interaction. The GD and autistic groups both reported significantly greater traits of GD than the OCD and control groups, with the GD group reporting higher scores than the autistic group. Participants self-reported their diagnoses for Study 2, but diagnostic tests to verify these were not administered. Traits of GD were also measured at a single point in time, despite such traits being transient and continuous. The results show both obsessional thoughts and autistic traits are uniquely associated with GD, and that autistic people experience greater traits of GD than other clinical groups.

Inter-brain synchrony occurs between individuals who feel connected socially, but how synchrony relates to felt connectedness under naturalistic social interaction has remained enigmatic. We hypothesized that inter-brain synchrony between naturally interacting individuals might be associated with the internalization of a social identity, a link between an individual's personal identity and the social group to which the individual belongs. A convenience sample of sixty participants were split into dyads and interacted naturalistically on a social task. Through mapping EEG oscillatory waveforms onto a conceptual model categorizing the formation of a social identity within a naturalistic conversation, greater inter-brain synchrony was observed in the emergent stage within the formation of a social identity compared to earlier stages, where a social identity was not present. We provide evidence for greater neural synchrony related to higher socio-psychological connectedness during the development of social identity under naturalistic social interaction.

This systematic review investigated how studies have measured gender dysphoria (GD) in autistic samples and the impact of using different measures on study results. The literature search identified 339 relevant papers, with 12 of them meeting the inclusion criteria. Results showed that seven different measures of GD characteristics have been used with autistic samples and that the studies consistently reported a greater number of GD characteristics and a greater severity of GD in autistic compared to non-autistic samples. Methodological common practices were found in recruiting participants from clinical settings rather than the general population, having more autistic males than females in the samples, for studies being conducted in Europe, North America, and Oceania, and using single-item measures of GD for samples of autistic children. Issues were identified with study designs and measures of GD, suggesting a need for a more standardized multi-item self-report measure of GD for use in clinical and non-clinical samples across different ages and cultures.

The Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ) measures the degree of autistic traits in clinical and non-clinical samples and has been validated in various countries and languages. However, the AQ has not been validated in Singapore, an Asian country whose population speaks predominantly English. Although previous validation studies have examined the distribution of scores, internal consistency, test-retest reliability and construct, convergent and discriminant validities in Asian countries using translated versions of the AQ and generally shown a suitable structure of the AQ, other studies testing cultural differences of the AQ have provided inconsistent results about whether differences exist in scores between Western and Asian samples. Additionally, while prior literature has consistently documented sex differences in AQ scores, findings about the relationship between personality traits and friendship quality with autistic traits have been mixed. The aim of the current study was to validate the psychometric properties of the original English AQ in a non-clinical Singaporean sample and compare their mean AQ scores to previous Western samples. In this study, psychometric properties of the original English AQ were assessed in 113 Singaporean adults (47M/66F; Mean age = 37.78; SD = 14.52) with no clinical diagnoses. They completed the AQ, the Friendship Questionnaire (FQ) and the short Big Five Inventory, with a subsample completing the AQ twice within three to six months. Results showed that AQ scores were normally distributed and the AQ had satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability and it demonstrated construct, convergent and discriminant validities. Higher AQ scores were related to lower friendship quality and extraversion and higher neuroticism. The mean AQ scores of the Singaporean sample did not differ to that reported in original British sample. Together, present findings showed the original English AQ to be reliable for measuring the degree of autistic traits in a non-clinical Singaporean sample, producing comparable AQ scores and showing the same relationships to other social and personality measures and the same sex differences as has been reported in English samples. This supports the use of the AQ in Singapore for clinical and research purposes and suggests that the measurement of autistic traits in some Asian cultures is comparable to that reported in Western cultures.

Research has shown that high trait anxiety can alter multisensory processing of threat cues (by amplifying integration of angry faces and voices); however, it remains unknown whether differences in multisensory processing play a role in the psychological response to trauma. This study examined the relationship between multisensory emotion processing and intrusive memories over seven days following exposure to an analogue trauma in a sample of 55 healthy young adults. We used an adapted version of the trauma film paradigm, where scenes showing a car accident trauma were presented using virtual reality, rather than a conventional 2D film. Multisensory processing was assessed prior to the trauma simulation using a forced choice emotion recognition paradigm with happy, sad and angry voice-only, face-only, audiovisual congruent (face and voice expressed matching emotions) and audiovisual incongruent expressions (face and voice expressed different emotions). We found that increased accuracy in recognising anger (but not happiness and sadness) in the audiovisual condition relative to the voice- and face-only conditions was associated with more intrusions following VR trauma. Despite previous results linking trait anxiety and intrusion development, no significant influence of trait anxiety on intrusion frequency was observed. Enhanced integration of threat-related information (i.e. angry faces and voices) could lead to overly threatening appraisals of stressful life events and result in greater intrusion development after trauma.

Empathy involves both empathic ability and empathic motivation. An important topic has been how to measure empathic ability and motivation simultaneously in both clinical and non-clinical samples and across different cultures. The Empathy Components Questionnaire (ECQ) is a self-report questionnaire that measures empathic ability and motivation in a questionnaire. The current study aimed to validate the Mandarin Chinese version of the ECQ (ECQ-Chinese) in three Chinese samples. In study 1, a total of 538 Chinese participants (Sample 1) completed the ECQ-Chinese via an online survey, and existing measures of empathy and related constructs which were used for criterion validity. In study 2, a total of 104 participants (Sample 2) were recruited again from sample 1 and completed the ECQ-Chinese three weeks later to investigate test-retest reliability. In study 3, a further 324 participants (Sample 3) completed the ECQ-Chinese for confirmatory factor analysis. The results showed that the ECQ-Chinese has a good internal consistency reliability, split-half reliability, and criterion validity (Study 1), and a good test-retest reliability (Study 2). Further, Study 3 found that a 22-item ECQ-Chinese consisting of five subscales had a good construct validity, convergence validity and discriminate validity, demonstrating it to be a suitable tool for the measurement of empathic ability and motivation in Chinese samples and to carry out cross-cultural studies of empathy and its components.

Music involves different senses and is emotional in nature, and musicians show enhanced detection of audio-visual temporal discrepancies and emotion recognition compared to non-musicians. However, whether musical training produces these enhanced abilities or if they are innate within musicians remains unclear. Thirty-one adult participants were randomly assigned to a music training, music listening, or control group who all completed a one-hour session per week for 11 weeks. The music training group received piano training, the music listening group listened to the same music, and the control group did their homework. Measures of audio-visual temporal discrepancy, facial expression recognition, autistic traits, depression, anxiety, stress and mood were completed and compared from the beginning to end of training. ANOVA results revealed that only the music training group showed a significant improvement in detection of audio-visual temporal discrepancies compared to the other groups for both stimuli (flash-beep and face-voice). However, music training did not improve emotion recognition from facial expressions compared to the control group, while it did reduce the levels of depression, stress and anxiety compared to baseline. This RCT study provides the first evidence of a causal effect of music training on improved audio-visual perception that goes beyond the music domain.

Art appreciation reflects an initial emotional and intuitive response to artwork evaluation, although this intuitive evaluation can be attenuated by subsequent deliberation. The Dual Process Theory of Autism proposes that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a greater propensity to deliberate and reduced intuition compared to matched controls. Evaluations of high- and low-quality artworks were undertaken by 107 individuals with a diagnosis of ASD and 145 controls. Controls consistently evaluated high-quality artworks to be much better quality than the low-quality artworks, reflecting intuitive processing. The ASD sample showed a reduced difference in evaluations between high- versus low-quality artwork, which reflects reduced intuitive processing and greater deliberative processing and is consistent with predictions by the Dual Process Theory of Autism.

Background: Restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) are a core diagnostic feature in autism, but have received less research compared to other diagnostic areas. Qualitative research with autistic adults has reported both positive and problematic aspects of RRBs, but little qualitative research has been reported to date about the nature and outcomes of RRBs in autistic children. The present study recruited teachers in SEN schools because children have limited ability to self-reflect and report about the functions and outcomes of their behaviours. Methods: The current study recruited 11 Special Educational Needs (SEN) teachers based in specialist autism schools who were interviewed about the various RRBs and their observed antecedents and outcomes for autistic children in their schools. Results: Thematic analysis revealed two main themes about RRBs in autistic children, one view as positive and one as negative. The positive theme included subthemes of RRBs as enjoyable experiences, self-regulation, and a form of expression. The negative theme included subthemes of being potentially unsafe, disrupting learning, and having a compulsive nature. Conclusions: SEN teachers in the present study observed both positive and negative outcomes of RRBs by autistic children, consistent with reports by autistic adults about their RRBs. The views about positive outcomes challenges previous assumptions that RRBs in autistic children are inherently detrimental and always need to be reduced or eliminated. Instead, the risks of specific RRBs should be considered against their benefits for individual autistic children to differentiate RRBs that serve a positive functional purpose versus those that may be harmful.

Multisensory processing is important for emotion perception, and it has been suggested that multisensory deficits could contribute to dysfunctional affective processing in some populations. Despite this, individual differences in multisensory processing have very rarely been studied in the context of trauma or PTSD. This study investigated whether factors relating to performance on a multisensory emotion recognition task predicted intrusive memories following exposure to a virtual reality (VR) analogue trauma. The results revealed that a specific tendency towards greater integration of angry faces and voices predicted a higher number of intrusions. These results suggest that multisensory perception may have an impact on how adaptively traumatic events are processed.

A goal of brain-computer-interface (BCI) research is to accurately classify participants' emotional status via objective measurements. While there has been a growth in EEG-BCI literature tackling this issue, there exist methodological limitations that undermine its ability to reach conclusions. These include both the nature of the stimuli used to induce emotions and the steps used to process and analyze the data. To highlight and overcome these limitations we appraised whether previous literature using commonly used, widely available, datasets is purportedly classifying between emotions based on emotion-related signals of interest and/or non-emotional artifacts. Subsequently, we propose new methods based on empirically driven, scientifically rigorous, foundations. We close by providing guidance to any researcher involved or wanting to work within this dynamic research field.

The Dual Process Theory of Autism proposes that autistic individuals demonstrate greater deliberative (slower) processing alongside reduced (faster) intuitive processing. This study manipulated the reasoning time available to investigate the extent to which deliberative and intuitive processing are sensitive to time context in autism. A total of 74 young autistic people and 132 control participants completed the Cognitive Reflection Test to measure intuition and deliberation, with responses being either speeded (fast condition) or delayed (slow condition). The autistic group produced more deliberative and less intuitive responses than controls overall. Both groups showed more intuitive responses in the fast condition and more deliberative responses in the slow condition, demonstrating the reasoning style in autism is sensitive to context. Lay abstract What is already known about the topic Daniel Kahneman wrote a highly influential book titled ‘thinking, fast and slow’. He proposes that people usually think in a rapid, automatic, intuitive style. When people realise their intuitive thinking may be wrong, a slower, effortful, deliberative style of thinking takes over. It has recently been proposed that thinking in autistic individuals can be characterised as usually thinking in the deliberative style (rather than the intuitive style that non-autistic people usually think in). What this paper adds As intuitive thinking is fast and deliberative thinking is slow, this research manipulated the time available to complete a series of reasoning questions. These questions have been developed to have intuitive answers (which are incorrect) and deliberative answers (which are correct). For the first time, a fast time manipulation (you must answer quickly) and slow (you must think about your answer before responding) was undertaken with autistic individuals. Autistic participants did produce more deliberative answers than the non-autistic participants. However, both groups produced comparably more intuitive answers and less deliberative answers in the fast condition. This shows that while autistic people tend not to use their intuition, autistic people can be encouraged to use their intuition. Implications for practice, research or policy Using rapid intuition can be useful in fast-changing contexts, such as some social situations. Future research can explore how to support autistic individuals to use their intuition when the need arises. In addition, the propensity for deliberation resulting in unbiased, correct responses reflects a strengths-based account of autism. This requires more mental effort and is less susceptible to bias and errors. This is called ‘Dual Process Theory’.