Research Participation Opportunities

Looking to help advance the future of autism research? Studies at the cutting edge of improving quality of life for autistic people are happening right now — and these studies would be nowhere without participants. That’s where you come in.

Here, you will find opportunities to get involved in research studies. These studies are located around the world, both remotely and in person, and seek participants across a range of ages and backgrounds. Browse through the opportunities to find the ones that are looking for someone like you or your child.

Research studies funded by OAR’s Applied Research Competition or Graduate Research Grant Competition will be denoted with this icon:

Please note that OAR staff is not directly involved with any of the studies; for any questions, please contact the researchers directly.

Are you a researcher seeking participants for your study? Click here to let us know.

Share an Opportunity

Share a Research Participation Opportunity

If you are seeking participants for a study, you are invited to submit the form below. Once your submission is received, OAR will get in touch with you about listing your study on this page as well as promoting your call for participants on OAR’s social media channels.

In order to be considered, your study must:

  • Focus on quality-of-life research for autistic people.
  • Be approved by the IRB (or an equivalent oversight body for studies conducted outside of the USA).

If you submit the form but do not see a confirmation message appear on screen, please contact us at the email address below to confirm receipt.

  • In order to list your research participation opportunity, you must provide an IRB approval number OR proof of IRB approval.
  • If you did not provide an IRB approval number above, please upload proof of IRB approval.
    Max. file size: 2 MB.
  • Example: Autistic children, ages 8-12, who use AAC.
  • For remote studies, please provide the survey link here.
  • Please note that your text may be edited by OAR staff for length or clarity.
  • This graphic will be posted on OAR's social media. Recommended dimensions: 1200 x 628 pixels.
    Max. file size: 2 MB.
  • MM slash DD slash YYYY

If you have any questions, please contact research@researchautism.org.

Mahopac High School Science and Tech Research

Sex Differences in the Traits and Diagnosis of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder(s)

Researcher

Sydney Mascoll

Institution

Mahopac High School Science and Tech Research

Who can participate

Autistic individuals, all ages (forms for minors must be filled out by parent/guardian)

Location

Remote; see Description for the link to participate by survey.

Description

Many researchers have tried to address the mechanisms behind the gap in autism diagnoses between males and females. With this survey, more research will help conclude specific mechanisms and reasonings that may contribute to females with autism having a late diagnosis, an incorrect diagnosis, or no diagnosis at all. In addition to this, this survey may help add more female characteristics of autism to the current diagnostic criteria for autism. Click on this link to participate.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact Sydney Mascoll at mascolls0420@student.mahopac.org.

Deadline

August 22, 2021

Rutgers University

Developing Supports to Address Mental Health Needs of Autistic Students in Postsecondary Education

This study received an Applied Research Grant from OAR in 2021.

Researchers

Vanessa Bal, Evan Kleiman

Institution

Rutgers University

Who can participate

Autistic students in postsecondary education in New Jersey (ages 18+)

Location

Remote. See the description below for a link to the screening survey.

Description

Researchers at Rutgers University are recruiting autistic students and their parents/guardians for a semester-long research study to evaluate a self-guided intervention designed to support the emotional well-being of autistic students enrolled in Postsecondary Education (PSE).

You may be eligible if you:

  • Are 18 years or older
  • Are accepted to or enrolled in PSE in New Jersey
  • Have a previous diagnosis of autism
  • Have an iOS or Android compatible smartphone
  • Have a parent or guardian who is also willing to participate (fill out questionnaires)

If you are eligible, you will be asked to complete:

  • Questionnaires about you and your social and emotional functioning
  • Videoconference visit to assess cognitive and academic skills
  • An Emotional Support plan (ESP)
  • Daily check-ins via a smartphone app up to 4 times per day for 6 weeks

Compensation:

  • You can receive up to $253 for your participation
  • Your parent/guardian will receive up to $40

Please note that only 15 students will be enrolled in this study, so if you are interested, you are encouraged to fill out this form.

Contact

LifeSPAN ASD Lab, lifespanlab@gsapp.rutgers.edu

Deadline

September 1, 2021

Tufts University (IEP study)

Access to Autism Services via IEP

Researchers

Eileen Crehan, Abby Donaghue, Leah Kirsch, Gabriela Castro, Sophie Kallenbach

Institution

Tufts University

Who can participate

Parents of autistic children, ages 3-22, who have an IEP

Location

Remote; see Description for the link to participate by survey.

Description

We are launching a study to examine the potential discrepancies in Individualized Education Programs (IEP) of autistic students across school districts with populations of families with diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. With this information we hope to identify service patterns that are inconsistently offered and how COVID-19 has affected those services, with a long-term goal of developing and implementing an advocacy program for low-income families with diverse racial, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds.

Specifically, we are recruiting caregivers whose child is between the ages of 3-22 and who have an autism diagnosis to complete three online surveys that inform the researchers on the family’s demographic information, the child’s social responsiveness, and the caregiver’s satisfaction with their child’s IEP. The caregiver will then be asked to submit a version of their child’s IEP via an online portal or through the mail. All information will be collected anonymously and needed mailing materials will be provided. Caregivers will also be compensated with a $20 Amazon gift card for their time spent contributing to the study. Click on this link to participate.

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact crehanlab@tufts.edu.

Deadline

September 10, 2021

University of Western Australia

Understanding camouflaging / masking in autistic adults

Researchers

Ms. Sici Zhuang, Dr. Iliana Magiati, Dr. Diana Tan, Mrs. Leena William, Ms. Mackenzie Bougoure

Institution

University of Western Australia

Who can participate

Autistic adults aged 18 years and above, who can self-report and complete an online survey. Participants can be formally diagnosed with autism or self-diagnosed. Participants may live anywhere in the world.

Location

Remote; see Description for the link to participate by survey.

Description

Researchers from the School of Psychological Science (SPS) at the University of Western Australia (UWA) are inviting autistic adults to participate in their research study on camouflaging / masking and well-being. This study is funded by a UWA SPS start-up grant awarded to the lead investigator Dr. Iliana Magiati. It was developed with input and guidance from an autistic consultant.

The study aims to better understand the psychological and social experiences that (1) may be associated with motivations and extent of camouflaging; and (2) may explain the impact of camouflaging on autistic people’s mental well-being and quality of life.

Participants will take part in an online survey lasting about 45-60 minutes. Reimbursement of AUD20 will be provided upon completion of study in the form of direct bank transfer payment or online gift card, depending on whether you live in or outside of Australia.

To find out more about the study and register to participate, click here to access a brief screening survey and register your interest. If you have any difficulties with this link, please email the research team at the email address below.

Contact

Ms. Sici Zhuang, uwacamouflagingstudy@gmail.com.

Deadline

September 30, 2021

University of Edinburgh

Disordered eating behaviours and lifestyles in Autistic and non-Autistic adolescents and adults

Researcher

Hasan Huseyin Ates

Institution

University of Edinburgh

Who can participate

Individuals 16 years of age or older who have a good understanding of English; autism diagnosis not required

Location

Remote; see Description for the link to participate by survey.

Description

This study is investigating the relationship between autism and disordered eating, which may lead to prevention strategies for disordered eating behaviors and eating disorder conditions.

If you meet the criteria above, you are invited to participate in the study. To participate, please complete this anonymous online survey about your eating behaviours, levels of autistic traits, well-being, physical activity, and screen time level. The survey will take approximately 40-50 minutes to complete. If you do not feel comfortable answering any questions, you can skip them. You can leave the survey at any time. As a thank you for participating, you will be able to enter a prize drawing to win a £50 Amazon e-voucher.

Contact

Hasan Huseyin Ates, Hasan.Ates@ed.ac.uk

Deadline

October 31, 2021

Tufts University (Sex & Relationships Ed. Study)

Comparing SRE (Sex and Relationships Education) in Two Formats for Adolescents with ASD

This study received a Graduate Research Grant from OAR in 2020.

Researcher

Xihan Yang

Institution

Tufts University

Who can participate

Autistic adolescents, ages 13-17, who have access to a computer

Location
  • In person: Medford, MA
  • Remotely: please contact the researchers
Description

We are looking for autistic teenagers to take part in an 18-week sex education program to assess whether or not they enjoyed the program and found it useful. Participants should be adolescents between 13-17 years old with a diagnosis of autism. They will take lessons with our trainers in either group or individual sessions online and completed some questionnaires. Parents will also complete some reports before and by the end of the study. Each participant will be compensated with a $40 Amazon gift card.

Contact

Xihan Yang, CrehanLab@tufts.edu or (617) 803-7555.

Deadline

December 31, 2021

Indiana University

Developing a Diagnosis-specific Training and Treatment Protocol for Youth with ASD Admitted to Acute General Psychiatric Units

This study received an Applied Research Grant from OAR in 2019.

Researchers

Jill Fodstad, Jadon Mehringer, Nicole Schieve

Institution

Indiana University

Who can participate
  • Parents of autistic children
  • Healthcare workers and administrative staff who have worked with autistic patients in an emergency department or psychiatric setting
Location

Remote. Click here to take the participation survey.

Description

Our research lab at Indiana University School of Medicine is seeking to interview healthcare staff and administrators who have experience caring for autistic individuals in a psychiatric or emergency department setting. We are also interviewing parents of autistic children who have received treatment in the emergency department or psychiatric unit.

Upon admittance to the hospital, autistic individuals often receive inadequate care, longer hospital stays, and barriers in communication. By interviewing healthcare staff, administrators, and parents, we will be able to develop a staff training care protocol that can assist in narrowing the gap in these disparities.

For this study, eligible participants will be asked to complete a 45-minute zoom interview with someone on our team. Upon completion of the interview, a $25 Amazon gift card will be emailed to them directly. Interested participants can take the eligibility survey linked here.

Contact

Jill Fodstad, jfodstad@iupui.edu

Deadline

January 1, 2022

University of Calgary

What do you mean I have Autism? Perspectives of the impact and lived experiences of individuals on the autism spectrum being uninformed of their diagnosis

Researchers

Brittany Lorentz and Dr. Adam McCrimmon

Institution

University of Calgary

Who can participate

Autistic adults, 18+

Location

Calgary Alberta, Canada or via Zoom

Description

Our team at the University of Calgary is interested in understanding the experiences of autistics who were unaware of their diagnosis because it was not disclosed to them, how the decision to not disclose that information decision influenced their development, and their opinions around being uninformed of their diagnosis. To do this, we want to interview and audio-record individuals who are 18 years of age or over, have an autism or related diagnosis, and were uninformed of their diagnosis for at least one year.

If you are interested in the study, please contact the researchers for more details. Participants who participate in the study will be given a $20 gift card in appreciation. You should note that you are in no way obligated to participate in the research, and your decision to participate or not participate in the research will in no way affect your relationship with our research team or any agency or organization that you have contact with.

University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board has approved this study (REB18-1302).

Contact

Brittany Lorentz (brittany.lorentz@ucalgary.ca) or Dr. Adam McCrimmon (awmccrim@ucalgary.ca).

Deadline

March 12, 2022

Department of Defense

ABA Study for Autistic Children in Military Families

Researchers

Dr. Cynthia Anderson, Dr. Cynthia Johnson, Dr. Eric Butter, Dr. Zachary Warren, and Dr. Susan Hyman

Institution

Cleveland Clinic, May Institute, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, University of Rochester Medical Center; funded by the Department of Defense

Who can participate

Autistic children, ages 18 months – 4 years, who are covered by TRICARE insurance.

Location

Cleveland Clinic (Cleveland, OH), May Institute (Virginia and North Carolina), Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH), Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, TN)

Description
  • Your child will receive behavioral interventions from professionals.
  • You may be offered opportunities to learn new strategies for your child.
  • We will ask you questions about your child, and you will be paid for filling out forms.
  • Results will be used to help military families who have autistic children.
Contact

Cleveland Clinic: Leah Barto, Research Coordinator at (216) 448-6392 or autismresearch@ccf.org

May Institute: Dr. Jaime Crowley-Zalaket, Research Coordinator at (781) 300-8926 or JCrowley@mayinstitute.org

Nationwide Children’s Hospital: Nicole Cacciato, Research Coordinator at (614) 355-7517 or Nicole.cacciato@nationwidechildrens.org

Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Amy Swanson, Research Coordinator at (615) 322-6533 or amy.r.swanson@vumc.org

Deadline

August 2022