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Early Intervention Delivery Methods for New Zealand Children with Autism: Current Practices Versus Parental PreferencesLittle is known about parent preferences regarding delivery methods of early interventions. This research examined, through parent report, the current and preferred delivery methods of seven common educational early interventions accessed by New Zealand children with autism spectrum disorder.
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Brain-behavior links in autism spectrum disorder across the lifespanAndrew Videos Whitehouse Watch and listen to Andrew PhD Deputy Director (Research); Angela Wright Bennett Professor of Autism Research at The Kids
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Co-occurring intellectual disability and autism: Associations with stress, coping, time use, and quality of life in caregiversHaving a child on the autism spectrum (AS) is known to impact caregiver quality of life (QoL), time use, and stress. A co-occurring diagnosis of intellectual disability (ID) is common among children on the autism spectrum, with ID itself impacting caregiver outcomes. This study sought to understand how co-occurring ID in children on the autism spectrum may influence caregiver-related outcomes. Secondary analysis of survey data from caregivers of 278 children on the autism spectrum with (n = 62) and without (n = 216) co-occurring ID was conducted, exploring impacts on caregiver QoL, stress, coping, and time-use.
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Do sex hormones at birth predict later-life economic preferences? Evidence from a pregnancy birth cohort study: Hormones at birth and preferencesEconomic preferences may be shaped by exposure to sex hormones around birth. Prior studies of economic preferences and numerous other phenotypic characteristics use digit ratios (2D : 4D), a purported proxy for prenatal testosterone exposure, whose validity has recently been questioned. We use direct measures of neonatal sex hormones (testosterone and oestrogen), measured from umbilical cord blood (n = 200) to investigate their association with later-life economic preferences (risk preferences, competitiveness, time preferences and social preferences) in an Australian cohort (Raine Study Gen2).
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Examining parent use of specific intervention techniques during a 12-week training program based on the Early Start Denver ModelThis study included five mothers of young children with autism who participated in a 12-week parent training program based on the Early Start Denver Model
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The misnomer of ‘high functioning autism’: Intelligence is an imprecise predictor of functional abilities at diagnosisWe argue that 'high functioning autism' is an inaccurate clinical descriptor when based solely on intelligence quotient demarcations
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Predictors of Change in Wellbeing and Mental Health of Parents of Autistic Pre-SchoolersParenting is a rewarding experience but is not without its challenges. Parents of Autistic children face additional challenges, and as a result can experience lower levels of wellbeing and more mental health problems (i.e., depression, anxiety, stress). Previous studies have identified concurrent correlates of wellbeing and mental health.
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Development of a Model of Care resource for FASD in the justice systemThis article describes the development of a Model of Care resource to support youth involved with the justice system where a neurodevelopmental disability such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is suspected. Service staff within the Youth Justice sector were engaged in an iterative process of resource development over a 9-month period.
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Sex-Specific Effects of Birth Weight on Longitudinal Behavioral Outcomes: A Mendelian Randomization Approach Using Polygenic ScoresIt is unclear whether sex differences in behavior arising from birth weight (BW) are genuine because of the cross-sectional nature and potential confounding in previous studies. We aimed to test whether sex differences associated with BW phenotype were reproducible using a Mendelian randomization approach, i.e., association between polygenic score (PGS) for BW and behavior outcomes across childhood and adolescence.
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Co-design of the neurodevelopment assessment scaleNeurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) have high comorbidity rates and shared etiology. Nevertheless, NDD assessment is diagnosis-driven and focuses on symptom profiles of individual disorders, which hinders diagnosis and treatment. There is also no evidence-based, standardized transdiagnostic approach currently available to provide a full clinical picture of individuals with NDDs. The pressing need for transdiagnostic assessment led to the development of the Neurodevelopment Assessment Scale.