Professor Megan Freeth

All publications

Journal articles

• Freeth M, Crowson S, Leporcher K-L, Day M, Scargill K, Poole D, Kellar I, Broglia E, Alehagen L, Hasslinger J & Bölte S (2026) Acceptability and usability of the International Classification of Functioning CoreSets for Autism platform: Evaluation by U.K. autistic adults. Neurodiversity, 4.
• Day M, Scargill K, Poole D, Kellar I, Young TA, Bölte S, Clarke S, Lodge K-M, Woods A & Freeth M (2026) Feasibility of the ICF CoreSets for Autism Strengths and Needs Assessment in NHS diagnostic services in England: protocol for a randomised pilot trial. BMJ Open, 16(3). View this article in WRRO
• Shittu O, Smith G & Freeth M (2025) Factors influencing dropout and retention among autistic students in universities: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies involving autistic individuals. BJPsych Open, 11(S1), S68-S69. View this article in WRRO
• Au-Yeung SK, Freeth M & Thompson AR (2025) "Am I gonna regret this?" The experiences of diagnostic disclosure in autistic adults. Autism, 29(8), 2181-2192. View this article in WRRO
• Day M, Wood C, Corker E & Freeth M (2025) Understanding the barriers to hiring autistic people as perceived by employers in the United Kingdom.. Autism, 29(5), 1263-1274. View this article in WRRO
• Grahame C, Thompson AR & Freeth M (2024) “A wild and inaccessible place”: the lived experiences of autistic pregnancy and birth. Autism in Adulthood. View this article in WRRO
• Smethurst L, Thompson A & Freeth M (2024) “I’ve absolutely reached rock bottom and have no energy”: the lived experience of unemployed and underemployed autistic adults. Autism in Adulthood. View this article in WRRO
• Radev S, Freeth M & Thompson AR (2024) How healthcare systems are experienced by autistic adults in the United Kingdom: A meta-ethnography. Autism, 28(9), 2166-2178. View this article in WRRO
• Bölte S, Alehagen L, Black MH, Hasslinger J, Wessman E, Lundin Remnélius K, Marschik PB, D’Arcy E, Crowson S, Freeth M , Seidel A et al (2024) The Gestalt of functioning in autism revisited: First revision of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets. Autism, 28(9), 2394-2411. View this article in WRRO
• Radev S, Freeth M & Thompson AR (2024) ‘I’m not just being difficult . . . I’m finding it difficult’: a qualitative approach to understanding experiences of autistic parents when interacting with statutory services regarding their autistic child. Autism, 28(6), 1394-1404. View this article in WRRO
• Smith H, Al-Jawahiri R, Stokes L, Freeth M, Fricke S, Matthews D & McNeill A (2024) Impaired communication ability in SOX11 syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 68(3), 285-292. View this article in WRRO
• Al-Jawahiri R, Stokes L, Smith H, McNeill A & Freeth M (2023) Short report: Behavioural characterisation of SOX11 syndrome. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 143. View this article in WRRO
• Crowson S, Poole D, Scargill K & Freeth M (2023) Understanding the post-diagnostic support priorities of autistic adults in the United Kingdom: a co-produced modified Delphi study. Autism, 28(4), 854-865. View this article in WRRO
• Smith H, Lane C, Al-Jawahiri R & Freeth M (2023) Sensory processing in Sotos syndrome and Tatton-Brown–Rahman Syndrome.. Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, 132(6), 768-778. View this article in WRRO
• Lopez B, Gregory NJ & Freeth M (2023) Social attention patterns of autistic and non-autistic adults when viewing real versus reel people. Autism, 27(8), 2372-2383. View this article in WRRO
• Wilson RB, Thompson AR, Rowse G & Freeth M (2023) The experience of seeking, receiving, and reflecting upon a diagnosis of autism in the UK: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies conducted with autistic individuals. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 103.
• Freeth M & Morgan EJ (2023) I see you, you see me: the impact of social presence on social interaction processes in autistic and non-autistic people. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 378(1875). View this article in WRRO
• Wilson RB, Thompson AR, Rowse G, Smith R, Dugdale A-S & Freeth M (2022) Autistic women’s experiences of self-compassion after receiving their diagnosis in adulthood. Autism, 27(5), 1336-1347. View this article in WRRO
• Smith H, Lane C, Al‐Jawahiri R & Freeth M (2022) Sensory processing in 16p11.2 deletion and 16p11.2 duplication. Autism Research.
• Morgan EJ, Carroll DJ, Chow CKC & Freeth M (2022) The effect of social presence on mentalizing behavior. Cognitive Science, 46(4). View this article in WRRO
• Al-Jawahiri R, Foroutan A, Kerkhof J, McConkey H, Levy M, Haghshenas S, Rooney K, Turner J, Shears D, Holder M , Lefroy H et al (2022) SOX11 variants cause a neurodevelopmental disorder with infrequent ocular malformations and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and with distinct DNA methylation profile. Genetics in Medicine, 24(6), 1261-1273.
• Simpson J, Freeth M, Simpson KJ & Thwaites K (2022) Street edge subdivision : structuring ground floor interfaces to stimulate pedestrian visual engagement. Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, 49(6), 1775-1791. View this article in WRRO
• Giannadou A, Jones M, Freeth M, Samson AC & Milne E (2022) Investigating neural dynamics in autism spectrum conditions outside of the laboratory using mobile electroencephalography. Psychophysiology, 59(4).
• Morgan EJ, Smith DT & Freeth M (2021) Gaze cueing, mental states, and the effect of autistic traits. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics.
• Morgan EJ, Foulsham T & Freeth M (2021) Sensitivity to social agency in autistic adults. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(9), 3245-3255. View this article in WRRO
• Freeth M, Al-Jawahiri R, Smith H & Stokes L (2021) Speech, language and communication phenotyping in rare genetic syndromes: Commentary on Speech and language deficits are central to SETBP1 haploinsufficiency disorder. European Journal of Human Genetics, 29(8), 1166-1167.
• Dugdale A-S, Thompson AR, Leedham A, Beail N & Freeth M (2021) Intense connection and love: The experiences of autistic mothers. Autism, 25(7), 1973-1984.
• Freeth M, Morgan E, Bugembe P & Brown A (2020) How accurate are autistic adults and those high in autistic traits at making face-to-face line-of-sight judgements?. Autism, 24(6), 1482-1493.
• Lane C, Tatton-Brown K & Freeth M (2020) Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome : cognitive and behavioural phenotypes. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 62(8), 993-998. View this article in WRRO
• McNeill A, Lewis R & Freeth M (2020) Views of adults with 22q11 deletion syndrome on reproductive choices. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 182(5), 1284-1287. View this article in WRRO
• Leedham AT, Thompson AR & Freeth M (2020) A thematic synthesis of siblings' lived experiences of autism : distress, responsibilities, compassion and connection. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 97.
• Leedham A, Thompson A, Smith R & Freeth M (2020) ‘I was exhausted trying to figure it out’: the experiences of females receiving an autism diagnosis in middle to late adulthood. Autism, 24(1), 135-146. View this article in WRRO
• Lane C, Robinson L & Freeth M (2020) Autistic traits and cognitive abilities associated with two molecular causes of Silver-Russell syndrome. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 129(3), 312-319. View this article in WRRO
• Simpson J, Thwaites K & Freeth M (2019) Understanding visual engagement with urban street edges along non-pedestrianised and pedestrianised streets using mobile eye-tracking. Sustainability, 11(15).
• Lane C, Van Herwegen J & Freeth M (2019) Exploring the approximate number system in Sotos syndrome: insights from a dot comparison task. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 63(8), 917-925. View this article in WRRO
• Kelly C, Morgan G, Freeth M, Siegal M & Matthews D (2019) The understanding of communicative intentions in children with severe-to-profound hearing loss . The Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 24(3), 245-254. View this article in WRRO
• Lane C, Milne E & Freeth M (2019) The cognitive profile of Sotos syndrome. Journal of Neuropsychology, 13(2), 240-252. View this article in WRRO
• Treweek C, Wood C, Martin J & Freeth M (2019) Autistic people’s perspectives on stereotypes: An interpretative phenomenological analysis. Autism, 23(3), 759-769. View this article in WRRO
• Freeth M & Bugembe P (2019) Social partner gaze direction and conversational phase; factors affecting social attention during face-to-face conversations in autistic adults?. Autism, 23(2), 503-513. View this article in WRRO
• Lane C, van Herwegen J & Freeth M (2019) Parent-reported communication abilities of children with Sotos syndrome: evidence from the children’s communication checklist-2. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49, 1475-1483. View this article in WRRO
• Simpson JC, Freeth M, Simpson K & Thwaites K (2018) Visual engagement with urban street edges: insights using mobile eye-tracking. Journal of Urbanism, 12(3), 259-278. View this article in WRRO
• Morgan E, Freeth M & Smith DT (2018) Mental State Attributions Mediate the Gaze Cueing Effect. Vision, 2(1). View this article in WRRO
• Freeth M, Lane C & Milne E (2016) Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Sotos Syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. View this article in WRRO
• Wood C & Freeth M (2016) Students’ Stereotypes of Autism. Journal of Educational Issues, 2(2), 131-140. View this article in WRRO
• Dunn SA, Freeth M & Milne E (2016) Electrophysiological Evidence of Atypical Spatial Attention in Those with a High Level of Self-reported Autistic Traits. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(6), 2199-2210. View this article in WRRO
• Lane C, Milne E & Freeth M (2016) Cognition and Behaviour in Sotos Syndrome: A Systematic Review. PLoS One, 11(2). View this article in WRRO
• Vabalas A & Freeth M (2016) Brief Report: Patterns of Eye Movements in Face to Face Conversation are Associated with Autistic Traits: Evidence from a Student Sample. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 46(1), 305-314. View this article in WRRO
• Freeth M, Sheppard E, Ramachandran R & Milne E (2013) A cross-cultural comparison of autistic traits in the UK, India and Malaysia.. J Autism Dev Disord, 43(11), 2569-2583.
• Milne E, Dunn SA, Freeth M & Rosas-Martinez L (2013) Visual search performance is predicted by the degree to which selective attention to features modulates the ERP between 350 and 600ms.. Neuropsychologia, 51(6), 1109-1118.
• Freeth M, Foulsham T & Kingstone A (2013) What affects social attention? Social presence, eye contact and autistic traits.. PLoS One, 8(1), e53286.
• Freeth M, Bullock T & Milne E (2013) The distribution of and relationship between autistic traits and social anxiety in a UK student population.. Autism, 17(5), 571-581.
• Risko EF, Laidlaw K, Freeth M, Foulsham T & Kingstone A (2012) Social attention with real versus reel stimuli: toward an empirical approach to concerns about ecological validity.. Front Hum Neurosci, 6, 143.
• Freeth M, Foulsham T & Chapman P (2011) The influence of visual saliency on fixation patterns in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neuropsychologia, 49, 156-160.
• Freeth M, Ropar D, Mitchell P, Chapman P & Loher S (2011) Brief Report: How Adolescents with ASD Process Social Information in Complex Scenes. Combining Evidence from Eye Movements and Verbal Descriptions. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 41(3), 364-371.
• Freeth M, Chapman P, Ropar D & Mitchell P (2010) Do gaze cues in complex scenes capture and direct the attention of high functioning adolescents with ASD? Evidence from eye-tracking.. J Autism Dev Disord, 40(5), 534-547.
• Freeth M, Ropar D, Chapman P & Mitchell P (2010) The eye gaze direction of an observed person can bias perception, memory, and attention in adolescents with and without autism spectrum disorder.. J Exp Child Psychol, 105(1-2), 20-37.
• Beck SR, Robinson EJ & Freeth MM (2008) Can children resist making interpretations when uncertain?. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 99(4), 252-270.
• Freeth M, Poole D, Newell V & Scargill K () Participatory systems mapping: Can this approach improve how services work for autistic people?. Autism.
• Heaton TJ & Freeth M () Reduced visual exploration when viewing photographic scenes in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

Book chapters

• Lane C & Freeth M (2021) Sotos Syndrome and ASD, Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders (pp. 4510-4514). Springer International Publishing
• Lane C & Freeth M (2019) Sotos syndrome, Chromatin Signaling and Neurological Disorders (pp. 219-234). Elsevier
• Lane C & Freeth M (2017) Sotos Syndrome and ASD, Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders (pp. 1-5). Springer New York
• Freeth M, Milne E, Sheppard E & Ramachandran R () Autism Across Cultures: Perspectives From Non‐Western Cultures and Implications for Research Wiley

Conference proceedings

• Mcneill A & Freeth M (2020) E-P24.39 Views of adults with 22q11 deletion syndrome on reproductive medicine options. European Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 28(Suppl 1) (pp 1009-1009). Online, 6 June 2020 - 6 June 2020. View this article in WRRO
• Freeth M & Vablas A (2015) Abstract for ECVP 2015 Symposium: Observer Effects on Eye Movement Research "Temporal dynamics of social attention in face-to-face situations". Perception, Vol. 44 (pp 78-79) View this article in WRRO
• Dunn S, Freeth M & Milne E (2015) ERP evidence of reduced spatial selectivity in those with high levels of self-reported autistic traits. PERCEPTION, Vol. 44 (pp 294-295)

Preprints

• Newell V, Anderson N, Eckford A, Needham K, Scrivener M, Webster A, Huddy V, Hughson-Gill R, Kellar I, Langley J , Scargill K et al (2026) Participatory Systems Mapping to Explore Underserved Autistic People's Journey through Primary Healthcare, Center for Open Science.
• Day M, Freeth M, Leporcher K-L, Scargill K, Poole D, Kellar I, Broglia E, Alehagen L, Hasslinger J & Bölte S (2025) Acceptability and Usability of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) CoreSets for Autism platform: Evaluation by UK Adults, Center for Open Science.
• Day M, Freeth M, Leporcher K-L, Scargill K, Poole D, Kellar I, Broglia E, Alehagen L, Hasslinger J & Bölte S (2025) Acceptability and Usability of the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) CoreSets for Autism platform: Evaluation by UK Adults, Center for Open Science.
• Day M, Freeth M, Scargill K, Poole D, Kellar I, Young T, Bölte S, Clarke S, Lodge K-M & Woods A (2025) Protocol for a feasibility study and randomised pilot trial of the ICF Core Sets for Autism Strength and Needs Assessment in NHS diagnostic services, Center for Open Science.
• Crowson S, Poole D, Scargill K & Freeth M (2022) Understanding the Post-Diagnostic Support Priorities of Autistic Adults in the UK: A Co-Produced Modified Delphi Study, Center for Open Science.
• Smith H, Lane C, Al-Jawahiri R & Freeth M (2022) Sensory Processing in 16p11.2 deletion and duplication, Center for Open Science.
• Smith H, Lane C, Al-Jawahiri R & Freeth M (2022) Sensory Processing in Sotos Syndrome and Tatton-Brown Rahman Syndrome, Center for Open Science.