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Research
The effects of JASPER intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic reviewNaturalistic developmental behavioural interventions are promising approaches for young children with, or suspected of having, autism spectrum disorder. Joint attention, symbolic play, engagement and regulation intervention (JASPER) is a well-researched naturalistic developmental behavioural intervention but, to date, no reviews have specifically evaluated its effects.
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Comorbidities and quality of life in children with intellectual disabilityMany children with intellectual disability live with medical comorbidities. This study examined the impacts of comorbidities on quality of life (QOL) of children with intellectual disabilities and whether impacts varied with caregiver perceptions that medical needs had been met.
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Experiences of exercise services for individuals with severe mental illness: A qualitative approachRegular exercise can be beneficial for people living with a severe mental illness. By better understanding the perspectives and challenges of adults with severe mental illness who are engaged in exercise, we can enhance the design and implementation of exercise programs to better support their mental health and recovery.
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Subgroups of Temperament Associated with Social-Emotional Difficulties in Infants with Early Signs of AutismLinks between temperament and social-emotional difficulties are well-established in normative child development but remain poorly characterized in autism. We sought to characterize distinct temperament subgroups and their associations with concurrent internalizing and externalizing symptoms in a sample of 103 infants showing early signs of autism.
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Perinatal psychiatric emergencies in rural Australia: In urgent need of attentionThe burden of perinatal mental illness is a significant global concern, affecting approximately 10–20% of women at this stage of life. It is well recognised that Rural Australia has far less health services and mental health specialists per capita than metropolitan regions.
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Research
The Truth Of Our Stories: A mixed method evaluation of Elder and community-led cultural training for out-of-home care agency workers and non-Indigenous foster carers in AustraliaGlobally, Indigenous peoples have incurred significant harm due to colonisation of their lands. Dispossession of culture, language, family and land, and the historical, systematic removal of children in Australia (the ‘Stolen Generation’), has resulted in evident ongoing negative outcomes in the contemporary lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
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#TransTok: a digital ethnographic study using content analysis to investigate transgender and gender diverse ‘for you page’ content on TikTok that may affect mental healthTransgender and gender diverse (“trans”) people are more likely to experience adverse mental health outcomes due to the social adversities that are commonly experienced. One ameliorating factor for poor mental health outcomes can be connection to community, often facilitated in online spaces such as TikTok.

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New autism guideline a lifeline for familiesProfessor Andrew Whitehouse tells how Australia’s first national guideline for the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder is going to transform the way the condition is assessed and managed, vastly improving the experience for families.
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School-based mental health promotion: A global policy reviewSchools are increasingly recognized as important settings for mental health promotion, but it is unclear what actions schools should prioritize to promote student mental health and wellbeing. We undertook a policy review of global school-based mental health promotion policy documents from United Nations agencies to understand the frameworks they use and the actions they recommend for schools.
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Experiences of parents of trans young people accessing Australian health services for their child: Findings from Trans PathwaysMany trans young people seek mental health support and gender-affirming medical interventions including puberty suppression, gender-affirming hormones and/or surgeries. Trans young people and their parents face multiple barriers in accessing gender-affirming care and mental health support, however little is known about the parent perspective on accessing services for their trans child.
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Assessing functioning for individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions: Current clinical practice in AustraliaIn the disability sector globally, and specifically in Australia, assessments of functioning have become key to diagnostic processes, and accessing therapy and funding. Over half of all individuals accessing support through Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme have a neurodevelopmental condition diagnosis.
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“We Need Community-Centred, Strongly Ethical Genetic Research”: A Qualitative Investigation of Community Attitudes Toward Autism GeneticsAutism genetics has historically attracted a substantial proportion of autism research funding internationally. However, more recently, several controversies centered on ethical conduct and lack of community consultation have emerged. This has triggered Autistic-led protests for the functional and meaningful inclusion of Autistic voices in the research design.
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Screening Measures of Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing in Fathers: A Scoping ReviewAccurately screening fathers for perinatal mental health problems requires well-validated screening instruments that assess the expression of paternal perinatal mental distress. This study aimed to identify and describe the psychometric properties of perinatal mental health screening instruments administered to paternal cohorts within the past two decades.
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The relationship between non-communicable disease risk and mental wellbeing in adolescence: a cross-sectional study utilising objective measures in IndonesiaRisk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs, cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and mental disorders) arise in adolescence but are mostly framed as relevant to health in adulthood; little is known about the relationship between co-occurring NCD risks and mental wellbeing in young people.
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Internet-based third-wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for reducing stress in parents of children and adolescents with chronic conditions: Systematic review and meta-analysis protocolParents of children and adolescents with chronic conditions have an increased risk of stress-related mental health problems, and reduced quality of life. Third wave Cognitive Behavioral Therapy interventions have been shown to reduce stress in this parent population. Studies demonstrate that this efficacy endures when these therapies are delivered online.