Press release | February 24, 2026Study Links Poor Sleep to Increased Risky Behavior Among Autistic People Catalight and Easterseals Northern California researchers found that autistic individuals with sleep problems had 120% higher rates of self-injury, 146% higher odds of reporting suicidal thoughts and 58% higher odds of aggression toward others. Read press release
In the news | January 20, 2026More Treatment Hours May Not Yield Autistic Children’s Skills Improvement: Study Becker’s Behavioral Health News highlighted Catalight’s recent study, “Dosage in Applied Behavior Analysis: Effect on Adaptive Behavior, Goal Attainment, and Dangerous Behavior,” which challenges the effectiveness of standard 30-40 hour ABA recommendations. Read News
Press release | January 16, 2026Study Finds More Treatment Hours for Autistic Children May Not Lead to Better Outcomes In a year-long study analyzing 725 autistic children across the United States, the Catalight Research Institute found that higher hours helped with short-term goals but did not improve broader functioning. Read press release
Press release | October 16, 2025Large-Scale Study Finds Autistic Youth Far More Likely to Be Hospitalized for Mental Health Conditions After analyzing over 1.2 million hospital admissions, Catalight’s Ben Pfingston and Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., BCBA, found autistic youth are hospitalized for mental health issues at higher rates than non-autistic peers – often due to delayed diagnosis and limited support. Highlighting the urgent need for autism-informed care, Pfingston and Dr. Sneed call for earlier intervention and clinician training to better address the unique needs of autistic children before crises arise. Read press release
In the news | October 7, 2025Future Leader: Lindsey Sneed, Vice President of Clinical Excellence, Catalight Behavioral Health Business has named Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Vice President of Clinical Excellence at Catalight, a 2025 Future Leader for her visionary leadership in advancing person-centered behavioral health care. Lindsey’s commitment to research innovation and clinical excellence has transformed treatment for individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Read News
In the news | September 3, 2025Rad N’ Bad Podcast: The Truth About Parent-Mediated Intervention Catalight Vice President of Clinical Excellence Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., appeared on the Rad N’ Bad podcast to discuss resistance to parent-mediated interventions. She contends that the evolved parent-mediated form of ABA expands access to care and better supports wellbeing for many families. Read News
Article | August 11, 2025Photos: Catalight Talks About the Implications on How Autism is Defined at APA Conference in Denver Catalight attended the APA conference in Denver, Aug. 7–9, presenting on evolving autism definitions and emerging concepts, including research on sleep and its impact on behaviors in autistic individuals. Read article
Video | April 1, 2025Celebrating Autism Acceptance Month by Moving Toward Greater Inclusion It’s time to move beyond awareness and toward true inclusion. Support is not about changing individuals with autism – it’s about embracing them for exactly who they are and who they want to become. Watch video
Article | March 24, 2025Photo Gallery: Elevate Your Impact Conference Kick Off and Podcast Release Check out photos from a special night commemorating the start of Catalight’s annual EYI conference and the release of the most recent “What’s Up With Catalight!” featuring local psychologist Dr. Liz Angoff Read article
In the news | February 6, 2025What Happens When an Autism Screening Flags More Mild Cases A Drexel University study found that pediatricians using a standardized screening tool identified potential autism in toddlers five times more often than expert diagnosticians. However, only half of flagged families pursued a free follow-up evaluation, compared to 92% in usual care. In Psychology Today, Catalight’s Doreen Samelson, Ed.D., and Lindsey Sneed, Ph.D., emphasize the need for high-quality assessments and early intervention. Read News
