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Research
Friendship, loneliness and depression in adolescents with Asperger's SyndromeThis study investigated the relation between friendship, loneliness and depressive symptoms in adolescents with Asperger's Syndrome (AS).
Research
Inner speech impairments in autismThree experiments investigated the role of inner speech deficit in cognitive performances of children with autism.
News & Events
Researcher elected fellow of prestigious international autism research societyThe Kids Research Institute Australia autism researcher Professor Andrew Whitehouse has been inducted as a Fellow to the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), making him just the fourth Australian to be bestowed the honour.
News & Events
Therapy with babies boosts social developmentA child-led therapy that supports the social development of babies showing early signs of autism has found a significant reduction in social communication difficulties in babies who received the therapy, according to new research led by CliniKids at The Kids Research Institute Australia.
Research
‘It depends entirely on the nature of those supports’: Community perceptions of the appropriateness of early support services for autistic childrenWe do not know much about what support services people think are okay for young autistic children. This study was a survey of 253 people. We asked autistic adults, parents, and professionals from Australia and New Zealand whether they thought it was okay to provide support services to autistic children.
Research
Caregiver perspectives regarding the impact of feeding difficulties on mealtime participation for primary school-aged autistic children and their familiesAlthough up to 89% of autistic children experience feeding difficulties, little is known about the impact of these difficulties on mealtime participation. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of feeding difficulties on the mealtime participation of autistic children and their families based on caregiver experiences.
Research
Absence of association between maternal adverse events and long-term gut microbiome outcomes in the Australian autism biobankMaternal immune activation and prenatal maternal stress are well-studied risk factors for psychiatric conditions such as autism and schizophrenia. Animal studies have proposed the gut microbiome as a mechanism underlying this association and have found that risk factor-related gut microbiome alterations persist in the adult offspring.
Research
Critical Appraisal of Systematic Reviews Assessing Gut Microbiota and Effect of Probiotic Supplementation in Children with ASD—An Umbrella ReviewGiven the significance of gut microbiota in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we aimed to assess the quality of systematic reviews (SRs) of studies assessing gut microbiota and effects of probiotic supplementation in children with ASD. PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Medline, and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to November 2024.
Research
Characterizing restricted and unusual interests in autistic youthA broad range of interests characterized by unusual content and/or intensity, labeled as circumscribed interests are a core diagnostic feature of autism. Recent evidence suggests that a distinction can be drawn between interests that, although characterized by unusually high intensity and/or inflexibility, are otherwise common in terms of their content (e.g., an interest in movies or animals), labeled as restricted interests and interests that are generally not salient outside of autism (e.g., an interest in traffic lights or categorization), labeled as unusual interests.
Research
Profiles of circumscribed interests in autistic youthCircumscribed interests encompass a range of different interests and related behaviors that can be characterized by either a high intensity but otherwise usual topic [referred to as restricted interests] or by a focus on topics that are not salient outside of autism [referred to as unusual interests].