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Research
The prevalence of mental health disorders and symptoms in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a systematic review and meta-analysisMental health conditions and problems are often reported in children and adolescents with CP. A systematic review was undertaken to describe their prevalence.
Research
Validation of a novel theory of mind measurement tool: The social robot video taskSocial communication difficulties in autism spectrum disorder have been associated with poor Theory of Mind (ToM), an ability to attribute mental states to others. Interventions using humanoid robots could improve ToM that may generalize to human-human interactions. Traditionally, ToM has been measured using the Firth-Happe Animations (FHA) task which depicts interactions between two animated triangles.
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The associations between autistic and communication traits in parents and developmental outcomes in children at familial risk of autism at 6 and 24 months of ageSeveral studies have explored relationships between parent broader autism phenotype and offspring communication, and have reported that autistic-like traits in parents are related to offspring communication difficulties and autism severity. However, past research has focused on studying such associations in childhood and we know very little about them in infancy. With accumulating evidence that interventions administered during infancy may be most effective in reducing ASD symptoms, it is imperative to examine whether relationships between parent autistic-like traits and child communication appear even earlier during this critical period of life.
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An investigation of adherence to best practice guidelines for autism diagnosis in New ZealandMany 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.
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Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in autism spectrum disorder: Protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trialThere 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.
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Caregiver Psychological Distress Predicts Temperament and Social-Emotional Outcomes in Infants with Autism TraitsChild temperament and caregiver psychological distress have been independently associated with social-emotional difficulties among individuals with autism. However, the interrelationship among these risk factors has rarely been investigated.
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The effect of parental logistic support on physical activity in children with, or at risk of, movement difficultiesChildren's perceptions of parents' logistic support for physical activity indirectly and positively predicts children's physical activity levels
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Prevalence and outcomes of young people with concurrent autism spectrum disorder and first episode of psychosisIndividuals with concurrent first episode of psychosis and ASD can present with distinct clinical characteristics that require specialised assessment and treatment
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Commentary: Are we expecting too much from the extreme male brain theory of autism? A reflection on Kung et al. (2016)This commentary highlights inconsistent findings that undermine the extreme male brain theory autism but data may not present an adequate test of the hypothesis
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Umbilical cord androgens and estrogens in relation to verbal and nonverbal abilities at age 10 in the general populationThese data suggest that late gestation sex steroids do not exert a major effect on nonverbal and verbal abilities in middle childhood.