Latest Research

Irritability and emotional dysregulation are common among autistic children. This systematic review found that antipsychotic medications, especially Risperidone and Aripiprazole, are useful treatments.  It also found that efficacy was lower in the context of comorbid epilepsy. de Pablo, G. S., Jordá, C. P., Vaquerizo-Serrano, J., Moreno, C., Cabras, A., Arango, C., ... & Parellada, M. (2022). Systematic Review and Meta-analysis: Efficacy of Pharmacological Interventions for Irritabili...

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased opportunities for delivering therapies online.  This US study provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of the Developing Our Children’s Skills K-5 (DOCS K-5) parent management training intervention for addressing behavioural issues in children. Further research of the intervention is planned. Agazzi, H., Hayford, H., Thomas, N., Dickinson, S., Ortiz, C., & Salinas-Miranda, A. (2022). Pandemic parenting: A pilot study of in-person v...

Is the increasing prevalence of autism due to greater rates, diagnostic expansion or improved awareness? This study using data from the Swedish Child and Adolescent Twin Study suggests that increased parental perception of child impairment may partly play a role. Lundström, S., Taylor, M., Larsson, H., Lichtenstein, P., Kuja‐Halkola, R., & Gillberg, C. (2022). Perceived child impairment and the ‘autism epidemic’. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 63(5), 591-598....

This study using UK data shows that the rate of autism diagnosis increased mainly in females, adults and those with higher levels of functioning, suggesting that the increased incidence over 20 years may be primarily due to augmented recognition, rather than a genuinely increased rate of occurrence of neurodiversity. Russell, G., Stapley, S., Newlove‐Delgado, T., Salmon, A., White, R., Warren, F., ... & Ford, T. (2022). Time trends in autism diagnosis over 20 years: a UK population‐ba...

Despite the clear description of At Risk Mental States (AMRS) for a couple of decades, the ability to predict which individuals will progress to full-blown psychosis is less certain.  This systematic review of 16 articles from 9 studies found that 1 in 6 young people had transitioned to psychosis at 5-year follow-up, but that sampling/recruitment strategies may have been more related to this risk than AMRS criteria. Lång, U., Yates, K., Leacy, F. P., Clarke, M. C., McNicholas, F., ...

This systematic review and meta-analysis of 88 studies identifies alexithymia (deficits in the ability to recognise one’s own emotions) as a likely mediator between child maltreatment (especially neglect) and later psychological disorder. In future, alexithymia could be a target for therapeutic intervention. Khan, A. N., & Jaffee, S. R. (2022). Alexithymia in individuals maltreated as children and adolescents: a meta‐analysis. Journal of child psychology and psychiatry. https:...

This study of fathers’ experiences of foetal attachment found that most fathers experienced a trigger moment that made the reality of having a baby clear to them and intensifying feelings of attachment toward the foetus. Support from male family members, friends with children and antenatal groups improved this connection, but many felt lost in their role and felt there was insufficient support for their mental health. Lagarto, A., & Duaso, M. J. (2022). Fathers’ experiences of fetal a...

This study found that micronutrients were more effective than placebo at improving symptoms of ADHD on clinician report, but not on parent report. Despite interest in more holistic approaches to ADHD management, there does not appear to be sufficient evidence to recommend micronutrient therapy at this stage. Johnstone, J. M., Hatsu, I., Tost, G., Srikanth, P., Eiterman, L. P., Bruton, A. M., ... & Arnold, L. E. (2022). Micronutrients for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in youths:...

This consensus statement describes current thinking regarding prevention, early intervention and more intensive care for young people using substances.  Krausz M, Westenberg JN, Tsang V, Suen J, Ignaszewski MJ, Mathew N, Azar P, Cabanis M, Elsner J, Vogel M, Spijkerman R, Orsolini L, Vo D, Moore E, Moe J, Strasser J, Köck P, Marian C, Dürsteler KM, Backmund M, Röhrig J, Post M, Haltmayer H, Wladika W, Trabi T, Muller C, Rechberger G, Teesson M, Farrell M, Christie G, Merry S, Mamdouh ...

Although behavioural interventions are recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) as first line treatments for sleep problems in autistic children, few have been shown to actually work.  This Australian RCT provides evidence for the efficacy of a two-session, parent-focussed and clinician-delivered intervention with telephone follow-up. Papadopoulos, N., Sciberras, E., Hiscock, H., Williams, K., McGillivray, J., Mihalopoulos, C., ... & Rinehart, N. (2022...