Each year the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) brings together researchers, practitioners, and advocates across a variety of disciplines to meet and share new scientific progress in autism research from around the world.
This year, the 25th annual INSAR meeting took place in Prague, Czech Republic, providing attendees and participants with opportunities to build collaborations, learn, and identify future directions in research, assessments, and therapies. Many faculty and staff from TRIAD — the autism research institute at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center —- were in attendance.
“INSAR is a fantastic avenue for TRIAD to disseminate findings from our ongoing research and practice across different contracts and service lines,” said Kathleen Simcoe, M.Ed., Director of TRIAD Early Childhood and Family Engagement. “Presentations can spark conversations about our ongoing work and opportunities to reflect and connect dots. INSAR is a meeting that provides a way to meaningfully connect with people in person. Whether it is visiting a poster, attending a panel or keynote session, or networking within special interest groups, we can come together under a common goal and potentially impact one another’s work.”
TRIAD participants reported an emergence of themes or trends in autism research this year, which included genetic phenotyping, telehealth as a key tool for research, reflections on autism in the past 25 years, increasing focus on implementation science, and more panels representing autistic voices in research.
TRIAD-related posters and panel presentations at INSAR are listed below. Together, these presentations showcase ongoing efforts to expand access, improve accuracy, and reduce barriers across the lifespan.
Research Posters and Panels
- Building and Assessing Models for Real‑Time Prediction of Behavioral Escalation (Poster)
Presenting author: Gabi Castillo‑Martinez, Research Analyst I
This poster shared findings from the Smart and Connected Health study demonstrating that machine‑learning models can generate real‑time predictions of behavioral escalation in youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), supporting future proactive intervention strategies. - Building Diagnostic Capacity: Training and Supporting Primary Care Providers to Identify and Care for Children with Autism (Poster)
Presenting author: Ella Kielmeyer, Research Analyst II
This project evaluated the ACTIVATE training program for primary care providers, showing increased provider confidence and reported practice changes following training, despite ongoing challenges such as time constraints. - Comparison of Parent‑Reported Cognitive Functioning and Direct Cognitive Assessment in a Preschool‑Aged Sample (Poster)
Presenting author: Isabella Davé, Research Analyst I
This study examined agreement between caregiver‑reported cognitive functioning and direct, in‑person cognitive assessment in preschoolers, finding significant alignment and suggesting potential utility of caregiver report in telehealth assessments. - Phased Introduction of Automated M‑CHAT‑R/F Delivery in Primary Care: Impact on Screening and Referral (Poster)
Presenting author: Amy Weitlauf, TRIAD Associate Director of Research
This poster examined integration of the M‑CHAT‑R/F into the electronic health record and provider workflows, demonstrating increased caregiver completion of screenings and improved provider follow‑up at 18‑ and 24‑month well visits. - Initial Deployment of the Tele‑ASD Diagnostic Assessment Tool for Adults (TADA) (Poster)
Presenting author: Gabi Castillo‑Martinez, Research Analyst I
This presentation evaluated the preliminary acceptability and feasibility of the Tele-ASD Diagnostic Assessment Tool, with results supporting early clinical utility while identifying areas for continued refinement. - Partnering with Part C: The Use of Tele‑Assessment to Reduce System‑Wide Barriers to Early Diagnostic Evaluation (Poster)
Presenting author: Alexa Dixon, Associate Director of Early Intervention Outcomes
Surveys of Part C providers before and after tele‑assessment implementation showed increased referrals to telehealth evaluations and significantly reduced provider concerns after one year. - Lessons Learned from Initial Use of the Tele‑ASD Diagnostic Assessment Tool for Adults (TADA) (Poster)
Presenting author: LeAnna Kehl, Assistant Professor
Participant and provider feedback following TADA evaluations highlighted valuable insights and reinforced the importance of gathering stakeholder input throughout the study. - Use of Remote Caregiver Coaching to Overcome Barriers to Service Access (Poster)
Presenting author: Kathleen Simcoe, Director of TRIAD Early Childhood and Family Engagement
Results from the six‑week Caregiver and Provider Support Services (CAPSS) program showed improvements in child communication, increased caregiver confidence, and high satisfaction, supporting the feasibility of brief, remote caregiver coaching. - Results of the TAP Trial: Findings from a Five‑Year, Multi‑Site Study of Direct‑to‑Home Tele‑Assessment (Panel)
Presenting author: Zachary Warren, Director, Division of Developmental Medicine; Executive Director, VKC TRIAD
Findings demonstrated strong diagnostic accuracy and test‑retest reliability of tele‑assessment when compared to in‑person evaluations, supporting direct‑to‑home models for diverse toddler populations. - Autism Diagnostic E‑Consults: Increasing PCP Access to Specialist Support and Triage after Training (Panel)
Presenting author: Jeff Hine, TRIAD Director of Primary Care Outreach and Training
This panel highlighted results from the ACTIVATE training and e‑consult model, demonstrating early feasibility, strong diagnostic yield, faster turnaround times, and a scalable approach to increasing equitable access to autism diagnosis.
Pictured top of page: TRIAD participants at INSAR 2026.
