Developmental Science Call for Papers Culture, context, and brain development

Developmental Science is an international journal publishing contemporary scientific developmental psychology and developmental cognitive neuroscience research.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

OSF

osf.io

Protocol for a feasibility and acceptability trial of Bloom, a co-produced and co-facilitated parent group to enhance the quality of life and well-being of young autistic children - Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Background The autistic and autism communities have identified improving the quality of life and well-being of autistic people as a key priority. Despite this, to date, there are no evidence-based supports for autistic children which specifically focus on improvements in these areas. This project seeks to address this gap by evaluating the acceptability and feasibility of Bloom, an 8-week co-produced and co-facilitated parent group that aims to enhance the quality of life and well-being of young autistic children. Methods This is a feasibility and acceptability study of a parent group, Bloom, which has been co-designed and co-produced between researchers and representatives from community organisations. The study aims to recruit 80 parents of autistic children aged 3–8 years through community organisations and social media networks. Once informed consent is provided, participants will be asked to complete baseline assessments (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews). These include measures of demographic as well as child, family, and parent well-being. Participants will be invited to attend the Bloom group for eight consecutive weeks during school term times. Groups will either be online or face to face, depending on parent preference and availability. Each group will be co-facilitated between an autistic person and an allied health professional. The assessments conducted at baseline (T1) will be repeated after completion of the group (T2) and at follow-up, 3 months after group completion (T3). At T2 and T3, participants will also be asked about their experiences of both the group and of their participation in the study. Discussion This feasibility and acceptability trial will provide essential data that, if positive, will inform the design of a fully powered randomised controlled trial (RCT). This includes the acceptability and feasibility of recruitment, study processes, the Bloom parent group, and baseline/outcome measures, including adherence to processes and the group. Additional data will be collected on retention from baseline to follow-up; effect sizes will be calculated for each outcome measure, both of which will inform the sample size of a future RCT. Findings of this study will be disseminated through written and/or audiovisual lay summaries to all participants and partner community organisations, as well as through peer-reviewed manuscripts and conference presentations. Conclusions This study is one small, but important, step towards autism-specific, relevant, and accessible supports that combine professional and lived experience to improve outcomes for autistic people and their families. Trial registration Ethical clearance was provided by Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC 2023/934). The Universal Trial Number is U1111-1305-0305, and the study has been registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) number ACTRN12624000350527.

doi.org

INSAR 2026: The State of Autism Research, Prague Version — THINKING PERSON'S GUIDE TO AUTISM

We've been covering INSAR for 15 years. It is fascinating how the autism research landscape both has and has not evolved during that stretch.

tinyurl.com

journals.sagepub.com

Frontiers | Neural substrates of executive function development in children under three: a mini-review of recent advances

Executive functions (EF) are higher-order cognitive functions, including inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. In 2019, Fiske and Ho...

frontiersin.org

Alpha Oscillations Track the Projection of Reactivated Memories into Conscious Awareness

By definition, episodic memory is a conscious phenomenon. Memory traces reactivated by the hippocampus and reinstated in the sensory cortices need to enter conscious awareness for them to be re-experi...

jneurosci.org

What is stimming in ADHD, autism and other neurodivergent conditions? - BBC Bitesize

Bitesize Parenting looks at why children stim and whether it's something that parents should be worried about.

bbc.co.uk

Assessing the feasibility of a co-produced peer-group intervention for supporting wellbeing during the transition to adulthood among autistic 16–25-year-olds (ATAG): a randomised controlled feasibilit...

Autistic people, including those without intellectual disability, face challenges during the transition to adulthood, and experience poor adult outcom…

sciencedirect.com

Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Subscription and open access journals from Sage, the world's leading independent academic publisher.

journals.sagepub.com

Conducting Meaningful Participatory Autism Research in Latin America: An Example of Contextual Challenges Identified and Lessons Learned from the Indigenous Support Network In Brazil - Tally Lichtensz...

journals.sagepub.com

OSF

osf.io

A LEAP into the future, or off a cliff: Wellcome LEAP's new $50M program

A few days ago, I saw this post on LinkedIn: How does the gut microbiome shape early brain development? That’s what FORM, a new $50 million...

deevybee.blogspot.com

Attachment Theory – A Social Neuroscientist’s Perspective

Attachment Theory – A Social Neuroscientist’s Perspective According to attachment theory (developed by Mary Ainsworth and John Bowlby about 70 years ago), every child is born …

pvrticka.com