Current Research

[Study logo has a rainbow circle around the study acronym and full name in brown texts, against a pinkish tan background

PUSHED-AT: PUberty & Sexual Health EDucation for Autistic Teens]

Effective puberty and sexual health education promotes body awareness and agency and normalizes conversations about consent, sexual and gender identities, and sexual behaviors. Unfortunately, autistic youth are frequently denied this key educational benefit. With this research, we hope to contribute to autistic individuals making safer and more informed decisions regarding sexual health. A validation of the educational tool that we use could help autistic individuals learn ways to have healthy romantic relationships, sexual behaviors, and reproductive awareness before new experiences and/or problems occur.

Pilot project funded by the Autism Intervention Research on Physical Health (AIR-P) Scholars Program: Gender, Sexuality, and Reproductive Health Research Node. 

[Study logo has four blocks. The top left block has a building with the word "social" below it. The top right block has a building with a balance scale next to it and the word "justice" below it. The bottom left block has a school building with the word "education" below it. The bottom right block has a hospital building with a stethoscope next to it and the word "health" below it.]

This pilot project aims to strengthen cross-system alignment to dismantle systemic racism experienced by Black autistic youth, particularly at early points of contact across the educational, social service, healthcare, and justice systems. Building from the PUSHED-AT study, we use a systems alignment intervention that leverages accessible, culturally responsive health education as a tool for coordination across sectors. We will also implement the adapted toolkit with families to evaluate its feasibility, acceptability, and potential to shift knowledge, confidence, and system navigation outcomes. Community partners, including The Color of Autism Foundation, co-lead this effort to ensure the work is grounded in lived experience and capable of transforming practice and policy.

[Study title "Pubertal Timing: Gynecological Age & Peak Height Velocity" and under the title is an image of six different youth of different races and ethnicity, each wearing different colors of the rainbow] 

Adolescence is a complex developmental process with overlapping processes. Maturation is multifaceted identified by chronological age, growth, increasing hormone levels, brain growth, and puberty; each of which are correlated as well as uniquely explain variability of internalizing symptoms. An integrative investigation of the developmental process combining each maturation factors and parsing each of these factors' unique contribution is limited and a methodological challenge. Our project aims to disentangle developmental factors and to use an integrative, novel methodological approach in examining developmental metrics of pubertal timing and onset in neurotypical adolescents.

[Study title "Modern Puberty Measure" and above the title is an animated image of three different developmental stages from infancy to adulthood] 

This study aims to validate an interactive, self-report measure of pubertal development designed for youth. The tool uses a scientific visualizations and contextual supports to improve accuracy. This modern puberty measure addresses limitations in existing measures by testing reliability and predictive validity across diverse populations.

[Study title "Menstrual Health & Allostatic Load Markers" and above the title is an animated image of hands holding a drop of liquid] 

Menstrual disorders such as dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are frequently associated with chronic or recurrent pain, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Growing evidence suggests that physiological dysregulation—specifically systemic inflammation and autonomic nervous system dysregulation—may contribute to pain experiences in this population. Allostatic load, a multisystem index of cumulative biological stress, is a framework for integrating these risk factors. This study aims to investigate associations between inflammatory biomarkers, autonomic and metabolic indicators, and pain outcomes among patients with menstrual disorders using cross-sectional data from the All of Us Research Program. 

[Study title "Neurodevelopmental Disabilities & Puberty Systematic Review" and above the title is an animated image of a person with an infinity symbol overlaying their head] 

This systematic review examines how puberty is studied in youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDs). While puberty is a critical developmental period involving biological, psychological, and social change, ND populations are often underrepresented in puberty research. We reviewed studies across multiple ND conditions to assess how puberty is measured, what is known, and where gaps remain. We also evaluated how well existing puberty theories—developed primarily in neurotypical populations—apply to ND youth. Our review emphasizes the importance of shifting focus from just when puberty occurs to how ND youth experience it, including mechanisms such as stigma, adultification, and developmental desynchrony. Findings underscore the need for inclusive, longitudinal, and mechanism-driven research that centers the lived experiences of ND youth and informs developmentally sensitive interventions.

[Study title "Sex Chromosome Aneuploidies Puberty Systematic Review" and above the title is an animated image of X, Y, and partial X chromosomes in multiple colors] 

This systematic review synthesizes the existing literature on pubertal development in individuals with sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs), including but not limited to XXY (Klinefelter syndrome), XYY, XXX (Triple X syndrome), and Turner syndrome (45,X). While prior research on puberty has largely focused on neurotypical and chromosomally typical populations, youth with SCAs remain underrepresented, despite known alterations in endocrine function, gonadal development, and pubertal timing. This review evaluates studies that assess the onset, tempo, and progression of puberty across SCA populations, as well as hormonal, physical, and psychosocial correlates. The review highlights key gaps in the literature, including the limited inclusion of diverse racial and ethnic groups and the absence of longitudinal, multimodal measurement designs.