Skip to content

Search

Our research

One of the unique aspects of CliniKids is the integration of clinical services with cutting-edge research. Our exceptional team of researchers work in collaboration with our clinicians to give the community access to the world's best evidence-based therapies.

Current projects

Our families have the opportunity to be involved in autism research conducted at CliniKids.

PoppiE Study

The Kids Research Institute Australia is involved in a new multi-site Australian study, led by the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, which wants to determine the optimal level of iodine needed during pregnancy for baby’s development.

Get involved

Get involved in a real-life research project

Past research

Find out about many of our previous research studies and trials, and those that are ongoing but are no longer recruiting participants.

CliniKids blog

This series aims to provide some practical and evidence-based ideas to support your child and family.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in autism spectrum disorder: Protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial

There are no well-established biomedical treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A small number of studies suggest that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, may improve clinical and cognitive outcomes in ASD.

Genetic association study of childhood aggression across raters, instruments, and age

Childhood aggressive behavior (AGG) has a substantial heritability of around 50%. Here we present a genome-wide association meta-analysis (GWAMA) of childhood AGG, in which all phenotype measures across childhood ages from multiple assessors were included. We analyzed phenotype assessments for a total of 328 935 observations from 87 485 children aged between 1.5 and 18 years, while accounting for sample overlap.

Co-occurring intellectual disability and autism: Associations with stress, coping, time use, and quality of life in caregivers

Having 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.

An investigation of adherence to best practice guidelines for autism diagnosis in New Zealand

Many clinicians in New Zealand do not follow guidelines for best practice in autism diagnosis. In this study, we investigated the processes that health professionals in New Zealand follow when diagnosing autistic children and adults. We asked 117 health professionals from a range of services and regions in New Zealand, how they identify and diagnose autism.