Author productivity and publication trends in autism-specific journals from 1997-2004

The 20 most productive authors (in terms of number of articles authored) were identified across three major autism-specific journals (Autism: An International Journal of Research and Practice, Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, and the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders) published between 1997 and 2004. Of the top 20 authors, 11 worked outside the United States, and 9 were women. Most articles included several coauthors, suggesting that most authors were involved in collaborative work. Most of the published research was assessment research, and slightly less than half was funded. Limitations of this study and future research are discussed.