Revisiting Intellectual Disability in Autistic Individuals, Towards New Perspectives

Communication and language difficulties can mask the true cognitive abilities of some autistic individuals. Evidence suggests that the capabilities of autistic individuals are often underestimated due to poorly adapted assessment methods. This call for papers seeks to promote the identification of strengths and areas of potential in autistic individuals traditionally labeled with intellectual disability.

While recognizing that autistic individuals may need extensive support, this need should not limit expectations of their potential. Ableism and stigma create barriers to accessing support, developing abilities, and achieving autonomy. Ethical questions persist regarding interpretations, practices, and related language, which impact the lives of autistic individuals, their families, and communities.

This call for papers aims to foster a dialogue that promotes a more inclusive and respectful understanding of the needs and potential of all autistic individuals.

Suggested Topics

• Ambiguity and critique of the term "Intellectual Disability" in the autistic context:
  Review the history, validity, and scope of the term "intellectual disability" when applied to autistic individuals, considering the heterogeneity of autism and how traditional assessments may not reflect true cognitive abilities.
  Critically analyze current diagnostic criteria and their impact on the stigmatization and exclusion of autistic individuals.

• The masking of abilities due to language and communication difficulties:
  Explore the need for more individualized assessment approaches that are not solely based on IQ or language measures.
  Consider alternative forms of communication and how these may reveal previously overlooked abilities.
• Advances in specific neurocognitive assessment for autistic individuals:
  Encourage the development of assessments that can identify cognitive capacities not detected by conventional methods.
  Promote research on new neurocognitive assessment methodologies designed for autistic individuals, especially those with communication difficulties.
  Include studies that utilize technologies such as EEG, eye-tracking, digital phenotyping, and others with the potential to assess specific abilities.
• Identification and assessment of abilities, potential, quality of life, and well-being:
  Research that identifies the strengths and potential of autistic individuals, traditionally labeled with intellectual disability, emphasizing their areas of talent and ability, as well as their quality of life, well-being, and expression of their own life project.
  Explore methods to support their inclusion and improve their quality of life.
• Personalized, situated, and contextualized interventions and supports:
  Studies and experiences on the effectiveness of interventions and support systems for autistic individuals, and how these can be adapted to meet their specific needs.
  Include the need for access to intensive services and structured environments for some autistic individuals, within diverse settings, and with the participation of families, caregivers, and professional teams in support plans.
• Impact of diagnosis throughout the life span, as well as the diversity of educational and support devices:
  Explore the impact of an autism diagnosis throughout the life span, in relation to earlier and personalized interventions, and their effects on personal development and well-being.
  Consider the impact (emotional, social, and others) on families and their coping strategies, in different contexts.
• Ethics of assessment and terminology:
  Promote a debate on the feasibility and ethics of assessing intellectual disability in autistic individuals from neurodiversity and neuroaffirmation approaches, as well as the use of appropriate terminology.
  Encourage reflection on the implications of terms such as "profound autism" and their impact on the perception of and interaction with autistic individuals.
  Integrate the perspectives of neurodiversity and neuroaffirmation, and the need for specialized services, while avoiding ableism and stigmatization.
  Prioritize the dignity and value of each autistic individual and their right to a full life.
• Experiences of families and caregivers, and implications of stigma:
  Qualitative and mixed-methods research that explores the experiences of families and caregivers of autistic individuals with communication difficulties or intellectual disability, highlighting their challenges and support needs.
  Consider the difficulties in accessing appropriate services and the need to improve the training of health professionals.

The following are encouraged:

• Use of multimethod, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches, as appropriate.
• Attention to racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in access to diagnosis and services.
• Encouraging the formulation of practical recommendations for assessment, intervention, and public policy.
• Emphasizing that the focus should be on the autistic individual, recognizing their autonomy and right to self-determination.

Audience

This Call for Papers is aimed at researchers, educators, health professionals, parents/caregivers, decision-makers and educational policymakers, and anyone interested in the education and development of autistic individuals diagnosed with Intellectual Disability. We are particularly interested in exploring first-person experiences, viewpoints, statements, and proposals by individuals diagnosed with intellectual disability, as well as individuals who experience communication difficulties.

Submission of proposals

Authors interested in submitting an article should send a 250-300 word abstract to editor@edna-journal.org before 12/31/2025. The abstract should include the title of the article, a brief description of the topic, the methodology used, and the expected results. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit the full article.

Important dates

• Abstract submission: 12/31/2025
• Notification of abstract acceptance: 1/15/2026
• Full article submission: 3/31/2026

Article format

Empirical research articles, theoretical reviews, and case studies are accepted. Articles should have a maximum length of 6000 words and should follow the EDNA journal's style guidelines. Articles must be original and not have been published previously elsewhere.

Contact

For any questions or inquiries, please contact Constanza Ruiz-Danegger, Editor of the EDNA journal (editor@edna-journal.org).

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.12568.30722