Research Participation Opportunities

Western University, in collaboration with Autism Ontario, is conducting a study to better understand how families and professionals navigate autism services across the province.

Purpose of the Study:
This research aims to map pathways of autism support and identify factors that help or hinder access to services for autistic children and their families.

Who Can Participate:

• Caregivers of autistic children who live in Ontario and speak English
• Stakeholders (such as policy makers, healthcare providers, and educators) who provide autism-related services in Ontario

What Participation Involves:

Participants may choose to take part in either:

• A focus group (approximately 2 hours, $50 honorarium)
• An individual interview (approximately 1.5 hours, $50 honorarium)

Topics discussed will include your experiences with diagnosis, navigating systems of care, barriers to access, and available supports.

Participation is voluntary and choosing to participate or not will not affect any autism-related services you receive from Autism Ontario or elsewhere.

Interested in learning more?
Please contact nneil@uwo.ca or research@autismontario.com for more information or to express interest in participating.

My name is Isabella Chawrun, a PhD Candidate at the University of Waterloo (supervisor Dr. Lili Liu). I will interview 15-20 older autistic adults and ask their thoughts on health and wellbeing as they have gotten older. The overall goal of this research is to gain insights on the perspectives of health and wellbeing among older autistic people.  

You can participate in this research if you: 

1. Received a diagnosis related to autism (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, Asperger’s) OR self identify as autistic. 
2. Over the age of 45 years old.
3. Able to communicate in English.
4. Live in the Waterloo Kitchener area or Greater Toronto Area.

You will be asked to participate in a 60 to 90 minute (or less) interview. The interview can be virtual on Zoom or Microsoft Teams or in person. Caregivers are welcome to join. 

If you have any other questions, please contact Isabella Chawrun at irchawru@uwaterloo.ca.

Are you interested in creating resources to help support communication with autistic youth? A new study from McMaster University aims to co-create a new, neurodiversity-affirming approach to communication support for autistic youth and people close to them. This study is called BRIDGE-CPT (Building Relationships through Inclusive co-Design to Guide Effective Communication Partner Training).

We are inviting autistic youth (ages 15-24), people close to autistic youth (e.g., parents, siblings, friends), and speech-language pathologists anywhere in Canada to participate. This research is led by autistic people alongside other researchers at McMaster University. This project is funded by the Autism Alliance of Canada, with Dori Zener & Associates, a neurodiversity-affirming therapy practice, as our community partner.

What does the study involve?
If you decide to join the study, you will be invited to participate in an online interview via Zoom (30-60 minutes) to learn about your experiences and ideas related to communication. A few months later, you will be invited to attend two online focus group sessions via Zoom with other autistic youth, speech-language pathologists, and people close to autistic youth to co-create strategies, tools, and resources about communication. You will also complete a post-study survey.

You will receive a $40 gift card for the interview, a $40 gift card for the first co-design focus group, and a third $40 gift card for the final co-design focus group. You will also complete a post-study survey. You can select which gift card you would like (i.e., grocery stores, Amazon, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc). If you choose to participate in all components of the study, you will receive $120 in gift cards.

Want to learn more? Check out the attached e-poster and contact the study team via email (bridge25@mcmaster.ca), or phone (905-525-9140 ext. 22299). Click here for examples of scripts to contact us and a video explaining the study details.

*This study has been reviewed by the Hamilton Integrated Research Ethics Board Project # 19164*

Olivia Dobson (a PhD candidate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Guelph) and the Pediatric Pain, Health and Communication Lab (run by Dr. Meghan McMurtry) study how to make needle procedures, like vaccinations, the most comfortable they can be.

Their project called, "Gathering Feedback on a Vaccination Social Story to Help Autistic Children and Their Caregivers" is looking for autistic youth (ages 7-17 years), autistic young adults (ages 18-24) and caregivers (18+) of an autistic youth or young adult to provide feedback on their Social Story.

Participants must live in Canada and speak English fluently. Autistic youth, autistic young adults and caregivers can participate individually, or as a pair. Participating would involve reviewing the Social Story about vaccination and then providing feedback on it through a ~25-minute online survey/questionnaire. An interview to complete the questionnaire can be scheduled if preferred.

Please contact Olivia if interested or with any questions: odobson@uoguelph.ca

My name is Melissa Lazo, and I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. Under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Schanding, I am currently recruiting participants for a survey-study as part of my doctoral dissertation research titled Autism Across Generations: Exploring the Mental Health, Camouflaging, and Lived Experiences of Autistic Adolescents with Autistic Parents. The purpose of this study is to better understand the mental health and masking behaviours of autistic teens with and without autistic parents to help inform how we support autistic teens and their families. We are looking for families in Canada or the USA where both a parent and an autistic teen participate.

• Eligibility: Teens must: 1) be between 13 and 18 years old, 2) have a formal autism diagnosis, 3) live in Canada or the USA, and 4) not have a history of intellectual disability. Parents may or may not be autistic but must live with their child at least three days per week.
• What does the study involve? The teen will complete a 15-20 minute online survey and the parent will complete a 10 minute online survey. Prior to completing the surveys, both the parent and teen will need to schedule a brief five-minute Zoom call to verify their identities and review consent.
• Compensation: Families who participate will be entered into a draw for a chance to win one of ten $50 CAD e-gift cards (Starbucks, Amazon, or Uber).

If you are interested in learning more, please complete this short screener (2–3 minutes) to determine eligibility: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4V20HTRZw8HJTfM

For any questions or concerns, please contact Melissa Lazo (Co-Investigator) at melilazo@student.ubc.ca or Dr. Thomas Schanding (Principal Investigator) at thomas.schanding@ubc.ca

My name is Melissa Lazo, and I am a Ph.D. Candidate in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. Under the supervision of Dr. Thomas Schanding, I am conducting my doctoral dissertation research titled Autism Across Generations: Exploring the Mental Health, Camouflaging, and Lived Experiences of Autistic Adolescents with Autistic Parents.

As part of this research, we are conducting an interview-based study to better understand autistic teens’ perspectives and experiences growing up with an autistic parent, with the goal of learning more about family dynamics and shared autistic identity.

Eligibility: To participate, teens must: 1) be between 13 and 18 years old, 2) live in Canada, 3) have a formal autism diagnosis, 4) not have a history of intellectual disability, 4) have at least one autistic parent, and 5) be aware of both their own and their parent’s autistic identity.

What's involved: Participation involves a 45–90 minute online Zoom interview between the teen and the researcher. Questions will focus on topics such as autistic identity, daily life, and interactions with parents. A brief 5-minute demographic questionnaire will need to be completed by an autistic parent prior to the interview. Accommodations such as video, audio-only, chat-based interviews, and closed captioning will be offered.

Compensation: Families who participate will receive a $25 CAD e-gift card of their choice (Starbucks, Amazon, or Uber) to thank them for their time.

If you are interested, please complete a short 2–3 minute screener to check eligibility by clicking here: https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_08SmUtkS5XlvF6S

For any questions, please contact Melissa Lazo (Co-Investigator) at melilazo@student.ubc.ca or Dr. Thomas Schanding (Principal Investigator) at thomas.schanding@ubc.ca

Institution: King’s University College at Western University

Study Purpose & Research Questions:

This study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the economic impacts faced by families raising autistic children in Ontario. It seeks to:

1. Estimate the direct (e.g., health and education costs related to autism) and indirect costs (e.g., loss of income /productivity for parents or caregivers) borne by these families, and

2. Examine how these costs vary across households with different characteristics (e.g. children’s level of need, household income, and ethnic background).

Participant Eligibility:

We are seeking primary caregivers (mother, father, guardian, etc.) of at least one child aged 0-25 with autism diagnosis who are familiar with the family’s finances.

Participation Details & Compensation:

The survey includes two parts. Upon full and valid completion of Part 1, participants will have a chance to win one of forty $50 prizes (approx. 1/35 chance). Those who complete both Parts 1 and 2 will have a chance to win one of forty $100 prizes (approx. 1/25 chance) or one of two $500 grand prizes.

Contact:

For more information, please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Jingjing Xu, at jxu938@uwo.ca.

We are conducting a study on the perspectives of police protocols. Your insights will help us improve interactions and communication between the police and the autistic community. The study is entirely online, takes about 20 - 30 minutes, and your participation will be kept confidential.

We welcome your unique perspectives and experiences. As a thank you, you will be entered in a draw for a $50 gift card.

Participate here: https://yorku.questionpro.ca/t/AB3urExZB3u7DG

📢 Calling autistic youth (ages 13-25) from Canada and the U.S!

We adapted a questionnaire about flourishing (i.e., positive well-being) for use with autistic youth in collaboration with autistic self-advocates. Our research team is recruiting autistic youth to participate in an online study to test the use of this questionnaire!

Please click the link for more information and to sign up! https://yorku.questionpro.ca/t/AB3urAcZB3u7zw

What does participation involve?

- Completing a 30-minute online survey about flourishing, autistic traits, and mental health concerns
- You can complete the survey alone or with a support person

We hope that our results will provide researchers and clinicians with a greater understanding of positive mental health for autistic people.

For more information, please contact us at flourishstudy@yorku.ca

Ethics certificate number: e-2025-230

We know that autism is diverse, and different children show different strengths and challenges that change as they grow and develop. However, current policy, clinical, and research models are not well designed to address this diversity. This leads to models of care that do not meet the unique and changing needs of Autistic children and their families. The PARC (Pediatric Autism Research Cohort) Study aims to address this gap.

The PARC Study is focused on learning more about how Autistic children grow and develop. We are currently recruiting families in the Eastern Ontario region with an Autistic child under the age of 7 who has recently been diagnosed (within the last 12 months).

Participation involves:
• Completing a set of online questionnaires (about 2–3 hours total; do not need to be completed in one sitting)
• Follow-up questionnaires every 6 months until the child turns 8

As a thank you for your time, you will receive a $20 Amazon gift card for each completed set of questionnaires and personalized research summary reports to help track changes in your child’s development.

To participate or learn more about the study, please contact: melissa.susko@queensu.ca

Queen's University received ethics approval for this study and is hosting this research.

This research is conducted by the Music and Health Science Research Collaboratory at the University of Toronto. We are conducting a study to explore how different sounds affect balance and posture.

The study is open to adults between 18 and 34 years old who have normal or corrected vision, normal hearing, and a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. Individuals with a medical history of neurological or physical diagnosis or impairments other than autism spectrum disorder, recent vertigo, or a history of psychiatric disorders are not eligible to participate.

The study takes approximately 90–120 minutes in total. You will begin by completing a short questionnaire, which takes about 30 minutes and can be done at home or in the lab. If you finish the questionnaire ahead of time, your lab visit will take about 60 minutes. During the lab session, you will stand on a firm surface—sometimes on one leg, sometimes on two—with your eyes open or closed for up to one minute at a time while listening to different sounds through headphones. You will have a three-minute break between each trial and can take additional breaks whenever you need.

Your participation will help us understand how sounds influence balance and posture and how individual sensory differences play a role. As a thank-you for your time, you will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Julia at julia.kowaleski@mail.utoronto.ca

The University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) is hosting a research study led by Harshita Pancholi, a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology, under the supervision of Dr. Stephen Butler.

Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to understand caregivers' journey of going through this diagnostic process and shed light on their encounters with current assessment process, and receiving the final result. This study is designed with the intention to contribute to the existing knowledge and support available for caregivers of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Who Can Participate?
We welcome you to participate in this study if,
1. You have a child who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder when the child was in the age range of 2 to 11 years, between July 2022 to July 2024 in Canada.
2. You were present during the assessment process for your child’s diagnosis.
3. You were present when the final diagnosis was given.
4. This was the first time a child in your family was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
5. Your child does not have a combined diagnosis of intellectual disability.
6. Your child does not have a diagnosis of any serious physical health conditions.

What’s Involved
Participation includes a one-on-one interview (about 45–60 minutes) conducted online via Microsoft Teams at a time convenient for you.

Contact
If you are interested or would like to learn more, please contact:
Researcher: Harshita Pancholi – hpancholi@upei.ca
Supervisor: Dr. Stephen Butler- stbutler@upei.ca

The Re Storying Autism Collective is recruiting autistic individuals 16 years of age or older to participate in an online exhibit sharing their experiences of k-12 educational assessments or report cards!

Please contact Dr. Patty Douglas [douglas.patricia@queensu.ca] or Haley Clark [21hmc13@queensu.ca] for more information!

We are conducting an important research project focused on transforming the lives of Black children and youth in Canada by addressing key challenges in education, healthcare, child welfare, criminal justice, and employment. We invite Black Canadian youth (ages 14-25) and Black parents (at least 18 years who have children between 0-13 years) to take part in a survey. The survey will be completed virtually and will take between 30-45 minutes at a time and location that works best for you.

You will receive the following for participating in the study:
• An opportunity to share your thoughts on the experiences of Black Canadian children and Youth,
• You will receive a $20 gift card as a token of appreciation for your time
• Language interpretation service is available for those who require it.

We are seeking participants for an online study. This study examines the language skills of typically developing children and children on the autism spectrum. Your child can participate if they:
- Are between the ages of 4-8 years old
- Are typically developing OR on the autism spectrum
- Speak English OR French AND another language (e.g., English & Arabic)

This study involves 2 sessions of approximately 1.5 hours each. It requires an internet connection and access to a computer or tablet. To thank you for your participation, you will receive a small compensation after each session.

For more information or to see if your child is eligible to participate please call 9O2-7OO-7442 or send us an email at cliclab@dal.ca with the subject “Language Study”.