Family School Community Connections

We are Family School Community Connections — a research team in the Michigan State University School Psychology Program.

Our research strives to promote meaningful connections across families, schools, and communities with a special emphasis on children diagnosed with autism and their families.

Latest Posts

Interesting Research Alert! Autistic children’s play is meaningful and infused with social value. O’Keefe & McNally (2025) explored autistic children’s own view of play using semi-structured interviews and argue that we need a n

Our 3 fabulous undergraduate research assistants presented at the 2026 University Undergraduate Research and Arts Forum this morning! We are so grateful for all of their hard work transcribing and analyzing qualitative data for one of our ongoing pro

Interesting Research Alert! From Ferraiolo et al. 2026 - Autistic young adults experience a wide range of strengths and challenges, many of which do not fit traditional assumptions! Listening to lived experiences is key to building meaningful, indivi

The FSC Connections Lab is coming off a few exciting PD sessions! We shared information about simple ways to integrate students’ strengths in the classroom. Students with ADHD are often described in terms of challenges — but starting with

The FSC Connections lab started the year off strong with leading two professional development presentations - “Teacher-Student and Teacher-Parent Relationships and ADHD” and “Understanding ADHD Through the New Executive Functioning

With the start of the new year, here are some of the advances in autism research from 2025 that continue to inform how we understand development, family experiences, and everyday life. Follow the link: https://autismsciencefoundation.org/2025-year-in

Grateful for a semester filled with research, learning, and collaboration — and for the meaningful connections we continue to build between families, schools, and communities. We’re taking some time to rest and recharge over winter break

As we enter into the holiday season, the FSC Connections lab wanted to offer some neuroaffirming strategies for navigating new routines, large gatherings, and traveling! 🍂

Supporting healthy sleep can make a real difference in the well-being of autistic children. New research reviewed a range of non-medication approaches, such as sleep routines, sensory support and wind-down activities, with promising results for famil

As routine settles and academic demands increase, fall can be a time when students begin to feel more overwhelmed or disconnected. For autistic and neurodivergent learners, this time of year can bring new sensory demands, social challenges, and class