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Identification of subgroups of children in the Australian Autism Biobank using latent class analysisThe identification of reproducible subtypes within autistic populations is a priority research area in the context of neurodevelopment, to pave the way for identification of biomarkers and targeted treatment recommendations. Few previous studies have considered medical comorbidity alongside behavioural, cognitive, and psychiatric data in subgrouping analyses.
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Reliability of the Commonly Used and Newly-Developed Autism MeasuresThe aim of the present study was to compare scale and conditional reliability derived from item response theory analyses among the most commonly used, as well as several newly developed, observation, interview, and parent-report autism instruments.
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Arriving at the empirically based conceptualization of restricted and repetitive behaviors: A systematic review and meta-analytic examination of factor analysesAn empirically based understanding of the factor structure of the restricted and repetitive behaviors (RRB) domain is a prerequisite for interpreting studies attempting to understand the correlates and mechanisms underpinning RRB and for measurement development. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of RRB factor analytic studies.
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Examining parent use of specific intervention techniques during a 12-week training program based on the Early Start Denver ModelThis study included five mothers of young children with autism who participated in a 12-week parent training program based on the Early Start Denver Model
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Mental Health Correlates of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Gender Diverse Young People: Evidence from a Specialised Child and Adolescent Gender Clinic in AustraliaCurrent findings indicate that gender diverse children and adolescents with indicated ASD comprise an especially vulnerable group at risk of mental health difficulties
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The misnomer of ‘high functioning autism’: Intelligence is an imprecise predictor of functional abilities at diagnosisWe argue that 'high functioning autism' is an inaccurate clinical descriptor when based solely on intelligence quotient demarcations
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Do sex hormones at birth predict later-life economic preferences? Evidence from a pregnancy birth cohort study: Hormones at birth and preferencesEconomic preferences may be shaped by exposure to sex hormones around birth. Prior studies of economic preferences and numerous other phenotypic characteristics use digit ratios (2D : 4D), a purported proxy for prenatal testosterone exposure, whose validity has recently been questioned. We use direct measures of neonatal sex hormones (testosterone and oestrogen), measured from umbilical cord blood (n = 200) to investigate their association with later-life economic preferences (risk preferences, competitiveness, time preferences and social preferences) in an Australian cohort (Raine Study Gen2).
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Genome-Wide Analyses of Vocabulary Size in Infancy and Toddlerhood: Associations With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Literacy, and Cognition-Related TraitsThe number of words children produce (expressive vocabulary) and understand (receptive vocabulary) changes rapidly during early development, partially due to genetic factors. Here, we performed a meta-genome-wide association study of vocabulary acquisition and investigated polygenic overlap with literacy, cognition, developmental phenotypes, and neurodevelopmental conditions, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
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The use of psychotropic medications in autistic individuals (21 years and younger) in Western Australia: A preliminary investigationPrescriptions and use of medications to treat mental health conditions in young autistic populations are inconsistent worldwide. This makes it hard to compare findings from international studies to the Australian autistic population, where there are limited relevant studies. Apart from risperidone, there are no other medications specified for direct use in autistic persons. This study aims to gain initial broad understanding of the use of medications, commonly prescribed for mental health conditions, specifically by autistics under the age of 21 years.
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Reliability, Validity and Acceptability of the PEDI-CAT with ASD Scales for Australian Children and Youth on the Autism SpectrumThe PEDI-CAT (ASD) is used to assess functioning of children and youth on the autism spectrum; however, current psychometric evidence is limited. This study aimed to explore the reliability, validity and acceptability of the PEDI-CAT (ASD) using a large Australian sample.