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Research

Caregiver-Mediated Early Support Program Delivered Online Versus Care-as-Usual for Infants at Elevated Familial Likelihood for Autism

LiL' STEPS (Language development & Intervention Lab's SupporTing Early social-communication and language by Promoting caregiver Sensitive responsiveness) is a novel, manualized, caregiver-mediated early support program developed in India and delivered online for infants at elevated familial likelihood for autism. The program has been found to be feasible and acceptable. The preliminary efficacy of the LiL' STEPS program, which remains to be evaluated, was assessed in this study using a feasibility randomized controlled trial design.

Research

Psychosocial and neurocognitive correlates of suicidal thoughts and behaviours amongst siblings of persons with and without neurodevelopmental conditions

Siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) have greater incidence of neuropsychiatric diagnoses and neurocognitive difficulties compared to siblings of persons without NDCs. Despite suicidality being labelled a global health crisis (WHO, 2014) and NDC siblings experiencing risk factors implicated in suicidality, no previous studies examined suicidality amongst adolescent and young adult siblings of persons with NDCs. Our study aimed to bridge this gap.

Research

Parental perspectives of the everyday experiences of uncertainty among young children on the autism spectrum

Anxiety commonly co-occurs in autism. Exploring and understanding potential underpinning mechanisms contributing to and maintaining anxiety in the early years is important in managing anxiety. Intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a tendency to find uncertainty difficult, is a transdiagnostic mechanism contributing to anxiety, but little is known about how IU may be experienced in young children on the autism spectrum. This study investigated parental perspectives of children's experiences of uncertainty.

News & Events

Andrew Whitehouse: environmental links to autism

Dr Andrew Whitehouse says results from a US study are just the first step when it comes to looking for environmental factors related to autism.

Sibling Support and Teen Talk Studies

Sibling Support and Teen Talk Studies form

News & Events

The Kids welcomes support for autistic students

The Kids Research Institute Australia has welcomed the recommendations to come out of the State Government’s inquiry into support for autistic children and young people in schools, released last week.

News & Events

Thinking big to tackle kids’ brain development

If there’s one thing modern researchers and health professionals now understand, it’s that for so many diseases and conditions affecting children and adolescents, early intervention is crucial.

News & Events

The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers share in TPCHRF funding

Eight The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers are among those who have received grant funding from the Telethon-Perth Children’s Hospital Research Fund (TPCHRF).

News & Events

Children with autism may benefit from app-based therapies

A The Kids Research Institute Australia study has shown that in addition to intervention with trained therapists, children with autism may benefit from app-based therapies.

News & Events

Autism researcher wins accolade for science videos

Professor Andrew Whitehouse has been awarded an Autism Spectrum Australia Recognition Award for his work communicating scientific findings to families.