Are restricted and repetitive behaviours in two- and six-year-olds associated with emotional and behavioural difficulties?

Background: Restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviour (RRBs) serve an adaptive role in development. Elevated levels of RRBs beyond the early years, however, are associated with poorer outcome in language, cognition, and wellbeing, and are seen across a range of neurodevelopmental conditions. This study aimed to characterize the association of distinct RRB subtypes at two and six years of age, with internalising and externalising difficulties in a community sample of children.

Generalisation of Social Communication Skills by Autistic Children During Play-Based Assessments Across Home, School and an Unfamiliar Research Setting.

We investigated autistic children's generalisation of social communication over time across three settings during a play-based assessment with different adults and explore the potential moderating effects on generalisation of age, nonverbal IQ and level of restricted and repetitive behaviours. The social communication abilities of 248 autistic children (2-11 years, 21% female, 22% single parent, 60% white) from three UK sites were assessed from 1984 video interactions in three contexts with three different interaction partners (parent/home, teaching assistant/school, researcher/clinic) at baseline, midpoint (+ 7m) and endpoint (+ 12m) within the Paediatric Autism Communication Trial-Generalised (PACT-G), a parent-mediated social communication intervention. Children's midpoint social communication at home generalised to school at midpoint and to clinic at endpoint.

Treatment mechanism of the WHO caregiver skills training intervention for autism delivered in community settings.

This study examined the mechanism of effect of the WHO Caregiver Skills Training (CST) through secondary analysis of a pilot RCT conducted in community settings. Participants were 86 caregivers (77% mothers) of children with ASD (78% male, mean age: 44.8 months) randomized to CST (n = 43) or treatment as usual (n = 43).

Mediation of 6-year mid-childhood follow-up outcomes after pre-school social communication (PACT) therapy for autistic children: randomised controlled trial.

Background: There are very few mechanistic studies of the long-term impact of psychosocial interventions in childhood. The parent-mediated Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy (PACT) RCT showed sustained effects on autistic child outcomes from pre-school to mid-childhood. We investigated the mechanism by which the PACT intervention achieved these effects.

Developing the FEEDS toolkit of parent-delivered interventions for eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in young children with neurodisability: findings from a Delphi survey and stakeholder consultation workshops.

Background: Young children with neurodisability commonly experience eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties (EDSD). Little is documented about which interventions and outcomes are most appropriate for such children. We aimed to seek consensus between parents of children with neurodisability and health professionals on the appropriate interventions and outcomes to inform future clinical developments and research studies.

Understanding the heterogeneity of anxiety in autistic youth: A person-centered approach.

The present study aimed to examine anxiety profiles among children and adolescents on the autism spectrum. It further aimed to characterize the association between the identified anxiety profiles and key clinical and developmental variables. The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale-Parent Version (SCAS-P) data from a large international pooled sample of 870 caregivers of autistic children and adolescents (M  = 11.

"We couldn't think in the box if we tried. We can't even find the damn box": A qualitative study of the lived experiences of autistic adults and relatives of autistic adults.

Autistic children grow to become autistic adults, and autism is increasingly diagnosed in adulthood and later life. This qualitative study aimed to understand experiences of autism throughout adulthood. A national cohort study of autistic adults and relatives of autistic adults (ASC-UK), enabled purposive recruitment of a diverse sample.

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of the WHO Caregiver Skills Training in Public Health Services in Italy.

Parents of children with ASD (N = 86; mean age 44.8 months; 67 boys) were randomized to either WHO Caregiver Skills Training (CST) delivered in public health settings in Italy or enhanced treatment-as-usual. Primary blinded outcomes were 3-months post-intervention change scores of autism severity and engagement during caregiver-child interaction.

Parent-delivered interventions used at home to improve eating, drinking and swallowing in children with neurodisability: the FEEDS mixed-methods study.

Background: Eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties are common in young children with neurodisability. These difficulties may lead to inadequate calorie intake, which affects a child's nutrition, growth and general physical health.

Objective: To examine which interventions are available that can be delivered at home by parents to improve eating, drinking and swallowing in young children with neurodisability and are suitable for investigation in pragmatic trials.

Adapting and validating the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule Version 2 for use with deaf children and young people.

We report a Delphi Consensus modification and first validation study of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - 2 with deaf children and young people (ADOS-2 Deaf adaptation). Validation included 122 deaf participants (aged 2-18 years), 63 with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This was compared to a National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline standard clinical assessment by blinded independent specialist clinicians.

Experience of transfer from child to adult mental health services of young people with autism spectrum disorder.

Background: Transition from child-centred to adult mental health services has been reported as challenging for young people. It can be especially difficult for young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they manage the challenges of adolescence and navigate leaving child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

Aims: This study examines the predictors of transfer to adult mental health services, and using a qualitative analysis, explores the young people's experiences of transition.

What Is Important in Measuring Quality of Life? Reflections by Autistic Adults in Four Countries.

Unlabelled: Relevant and valid measurement is crucial in determining whether interventions and supports have improved the quality of life (QoL) of autistic people. However, it is possible that researchers' and services' use of general population QoL tools may overlook issues of specific importance. To advance methodology, we conducted a preliminary exploration of the need and basis for cross-cultural development of additional autism-specific QoL questions.

Facilitating transition of young people with long-term health conditions from children's to adults' healthcare services - implications of a 5-year research programme.

Background: During transition from children's to adults' healthcare, young adults with long-term conditions may show delays in psychosocial development compared to their peers without long-term conditions, and deterioration of their conditions' medical control.

Methods: This paper integrates the findings, already published in 10 separate papers, of a 5-year transition research programme.

Implications: There is an important role for funders (commissioners) of adults' services to fund transitional healthcare, in addition to funders of children's services who currently take responsibility.

Anxiety in young people with autism spectrum disorder: Common and autism-related anxiety experiences and their associations with individual characteristics.

Anxiety is common in autism spectrum disorder. Many anxiety symptoms in autism spectrum disorder are consistent with (5th ed.) anxiety disorders (termed "common" anxieties), but others may be qualitatively different, likely relating to autism spectrum disorder traits (herein termed "autism-related" anxieties).

A Randomised Controlled Feasibility Trial of Immersive Virtual Reality Treatment with Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Specific Phobias in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

We examined the feasibility and acceptability of using an immersive virtual reality environment (VRE) alongside cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for young people with autism experiencing specific phobia. Thirty-two participants were randomised to treatment or control. Treatment involved one session introducing CBT techniques and four VRE sessions, delivered by local clinical therapists.

Displaced Rohingya children at high risk for mental health problems: Findings from refugee camps within Bangladesh.

Background: The 2017 political violence against the Rohingya people in the state of Rakhine resulted in a large influx of displaced populations into Bangladesh. Given harsh conditions and experiences in Myanmar, and the harrowing journey to the border, raised levels of child neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and mental health problems were expected.

Methods: A team of child development professionals, physicians, psychologists, and developmental therapists screened 622 children in clinics within the refugee camps using the Developmental Screening Questionnaire (DSQ; 0-<2 years), and the Ten Questions Plus (TQP) for NDDs, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; 2-16 years) for mental health problems.

Paediatric Autism Communication Therapy-Generalised (PACT-G) against treatment as usual for reducing symptom severity in young children with autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Prior evidence shows that behaviours closely related to the intervention delivered for autism are amenable to change, but it is more difficult to generalise treatment effects beyond the intervention context. We test an early autism intervention designed to promote generalisation of therapy-acquired skills into home and school contexts to improve adaptive function and reduce symptoms. A detailed mechanism study will address the process of such generalisation.

Predictors of quality of life for autistic adults.

Research with adults on the autism spectrum is as yet limited in scope and quality. The present study describes quality of life (QoL) of a large sample of autistic adults in the UK and investigates characteristics that may be predictive of QoL. A total of 370 autistic adults from the Adult Autism Spectrum Cohort-UK (ASC-UK) completed the WHOQoL-BREF, and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS, autism symptom severity), along with the ASC-UK registration questionnaire giving information on mental health and their life situation.

Cognitive outcome in childhood of birth weight discordant monochorionic twins: the long-term effects of fetal growth restriction.

Aim: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with poorer outcomes in later life. We used a monochorionic twin model with IUGR in one twin to determine its impact on growth and neurocognitive outcomes.

Methods: Monochorionic twins with ≥20% birth weight discordance born in the north of England were eligible.

The impact on the family of the co-existing conditions of children with autism spectrum disorder.

Unlabelled: We aimed to investigate whether the impact on families of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is associated with the number and/or type of emotional and behavioral co-existing conditions that parents/carers of children with ASD reported as occurring frequently. In addition, we examined whether there was a greater impact on families if their child was male, had lower levels of language, had more severe autism symptomatology, and whether impact was associated with the number and/or type of co-existing conditions. Families were recruited from large UK research databases.

Enhancing the Validity of a Quality of Life Measure for Autistic People.

Accurate measurement of quality of life (QoL) is important for evaluation of autism services and trials of interventions. We undertook psychometric validation of the World Health Organisation measure-WHOQoL-BREF, examined construct validity of the WHO Disabilities module and developed nine additional autism-specific items (ASQoL) from extensive consultation with the autism community. The sample of 309 autistic people was recruited from the Adult Autism Spectrum Cohort-UK.