Meng-Chuan Lai
@mengchuanlai.bsky.social
A clinician, researcher & lifelong learner at @CAMHnews @uoftmedicine. Rooted in Taiwan, UK & Canada. Thinking and acting globally and locally. Views are mine.
What matters most for childhood brain organization? We analyzed 649 variables. The answer: Socioeconomics (SES); with brain patterns pointing at sleep & stress as drivers. Even brain-IQ associations were better explained by SES. In Science today: www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We propose a new experimental approach to characterize the context-dependency of impression management (IM), now published open-access in Molecular Autism, led by the amazing ECR Wei Ai at @camhnews.bsky.social @uoftpsychology.bsky.social (1/4) link.springer.com/article/10.1...
A novel context-discrepancy assessment of impression management facets in autistic and non-autistic adults: an initial validation - Molecular Autism
Molecular Autism - Some autistic people “camouflage” by modifying autistic characteristics in social situations. Operationalizations of camouflaging remain limited and inconsistent....
link.springer.com
Sharing our opinions and words of caution on the (mis)use of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q), via @autisminadulthood.bsky.social : journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
The Use and Misuse of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire in Autism Research and Clinical Practice: Issues, Considerations, and Suggestions - Benjamin Ross Hannon, Laura Hull, Meng-Chuan La...
In this Perspective, we summarize the evidence to date around the use of the Camouflaging Autistic Traits Questionnaire (CAT-Q) as a tool in research and clinic...
journals.sagepub.com
Newly published with @biologysexdiff.bsky.social We use simulation to show how "dichotomizing is bad when not necessary" applies to sex and gender science and why thinking about sex and gender related variables in continuous ways is critical: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Checking assumptions: advancing the analysis of sex and gender in health sciences - Biology of Sex Differences
Biology of Sex Differences - Sex and gender are dissociable constructs, each including multiple components. Based on the analytic problems associated with dichotomising continuous variables, we...
link.springer.com
New study from our team at @camhnews.bsky.social @uoftpsych.bsky.social examining psychiatric emergency care profiles of #autistic adults, showing most frequent reasons for visits included suicidality (42.9%), aggression (24.6%), and mood symptoms (16.1%), etc. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
New study led by @mishalex.bsky.social at @camhnews.bsky.social @uoftpsychology.bsky.social using a novel paradigm to show neurotype-dependent media evaluation from autistic and non-autistic adults. Freely accessible for now with @autisminadulthood.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Sage Journals: Discover world-class research
Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.
journals.sagepub.com
Very glad to work on this reflection piece with the amazing ECRs at @camhnews.bsky.social. We hope this @journalautism.bsky.social editorial can stimulate more reflections and conversations.
Mishel Alexandrovsky@mishalex.bsky.social · 12mo agoCheck out our new editorial! Incredibly grateful to have collaborated with such a wonderful people @mengchuanlai.bsky.social journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Really proud that @journalautism.bsky.social published this... ...but also flabbergasted that we are still having to refute this. www.sagepub.com/explore-our-...
The vaccine–autism connection: No link, still debate, and we are failing to learn the lessons
A recent editorial questions why the vaccine–autism debate persists — read a section of the article below.
sagepub.com
Great new abstract for the upcoming @aacap.bsky.social annual meeting found no increase in irritability or aggression after starting gender-affirming testosterone treatment in adolescence. #trans #transgender #medicine #psychiatry #psychology #LGBT
Excited to share visualizations of our newest paper (with Adeline Lacroix and @mengchuanlai.bsky.social) compiling recommendations for physicians & clinicians supporting autistic adults in their care. 1 of 7
Excited to share this @cmaj.ca "Practice: Five Ways to Support..." KT piece led by two brilliant @camhnews.bsky.social post-docs @drlouisalyman.bsky.social & Adeline Lacroix on how providers can support #autistic individuals receiving health care. www.cmaj.ca/content/197/...
Autistic patients
Accessibility adaptations like online booking and virtual consultations can reduce care avoidance observed in autistic people. Access to accurate diagnoses and better health outcomes can be supported ...
cmaj.ca
Not all #empathy is the same. In this new study led by the brilliant Julia Ayache, we unpack how psychopathic, autistic, and alexithymic traits relate differently to affective, cognitive, and motor empathy—using self-reports and a Social #NeuroAI agent 👉 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
A “fine-cuts” approach disentangling psychopathic, autistic and alexithymic traits in their associations with affective, cognitive and motor empathy
Atypical empathy is seen in relation to psychopathy and autistic traits; however, studies typically conflate affective and cognitive facets of empathy…
sciencedirect.com
Earlier this month, I attended #INSAR2025. I’m so grateful that my abstract was selected as a top-rated submission! I had a wonderful time connecting with incredible researchers and spending time with the MCLab! @mengchuanlai.bsky.social @mollypascoe67.bsky.social @mishalex.bsky.social
Great book review on autism in women and girls. I and many others have argued that better diagnosis of girls is a big and welcome part of the increase in autism diagnoses. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Widening the autism spotlight
Underrepresentation of girls and women in studies warps our understanding of the condition, argues a neuroscientist
science.org
My take on Gina Rippon’s wonderful new book. Widening the autism spotlight | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Widening the autism spotlight
Underrepresentation of girls and women in studies warps our understanding of the condition, argues a neuroscientist
science.org
Really enjoyed discussing our research on healthcare and autism with @mengchuanlai.bsky.social as part of the new #ICESOntario podcast #Disability #AutRes
ICES Ontario@icesontario.bsky.social · 2y agoAutism research is evolving—and so is the conversation. In this episode of In Our VoICES, #ICESOntario scientist Yona Lunsky & CAMH scientist Meng-Chuan Lai explore how the focus has shifted to improving the lives of autistic individuals, especially in health care! 🎧 www.ices.on.ca/podcast/
Very proud to share this work led by the amazing Iciar Iturmendi-Sabater of @camhnews.bsky.social via a complicated set of planned analyses to delineate the relations between social cognition, self-regulation, & social adaptation across neurodiverse young people: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Understanding social behaviours across neurodiverse young people: roles of social cognition and self-regulation | BJPsych Open | Cambridge Core
Understanding social behaviours across neurodiverse young people: roles of social cognition and self-regulation - Volume 11 Issue 1
cambridge.org
Excited to share this commentary led by 3 brilliant early career researchers (Valeria, @mishalex.bsky.social & William), proposing what can be done to further our understanding of camouflaging, impression management, and mental health in autistic people. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
What We Know and Do Not Know About Camouflaging, Impression Management, and Mental Health and Wellbeing in Autistic People
Camouflaging is an impression management strategy employed by some autistic people, widely seen as a response to the pervasive stigma surrounding autism in society. Autistic narratives and lived expe...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
