Catherine R. G. Jones

Activity in the beta frequency band appears to play a critical role in sensorimotor processing, with transient “bursts” exhibiting distinct waveform motifs that may reflect different neural computations. However, how these dynamics relate to motor development and neurodevelopmental conditions remains unclear. Here, we used EEG to investigate sensorimotor beta bursts in children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD). We characterized beta bursts during action execution and observation of gross and fine motor actions. Conventional spectral features and overall burst rates did not differ between groups. In contrast, children with DCD showed altered rate modulation of specific burst waveform motifs, including atypical hemispheric lateralization and altered interhemispheric connectivity. Critically, motif-specific burst rates were systematically related to motor performance across individuals, with similar relations observed across groups. These findings indicate that waveform-specific beta burst dynamics track graded variation in motor performance, rather than mapping selectively onto diagnostic status. Beta burst variability may, therefore, reflect the functional expression of motor performance, rather than a disorder-specific neural mechanism underlying DCD. This work highlights the importance of beta burst waveform diversity for understanding variability in sensorimotor function across development.

Objective: Autistic people with an eating disorder (ED) report more negative experiences of ED treatment and are at greater risk of requiring higher intensity services. Current ED treatment options do not fully meet underpinning drivers of autistic people's experiences of EDs. There remains little guidance or understanding on how autism‐informed adaptations are implemented. This paper aims to explore clinician‐perceived barriers and enablers to implementing autism‐affirming adaptations in UK ED services. Method: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 clinicians in multidisciplinary roles across UK ED services who were beginning to implement autism‐affirming care. Data were analysed using critical realist thematic analysis. Results: Clinicians described many barriers associated with implementing autism‐affirming care underpinned by longstanding beliefs about the risks of accommodating ED behaviours. This contributed to anxiety about making adaptations to care and the potential to over‐ or under‐accommodate autistic needs. An underlying assumption that evidence‐based practice solely equates to manualised treatment for EDs constrained adaptation. A commitment to individualised formulation and care, regardless of diagnosis, and valuing a diverse multidisciplinary team were key enablers. System‐level barriers included siloed autism and ED resources and training. Conclusions: Autism‐affirming adaptations challenge some core underpinning messages historically embedded in siloed ED services.

Multi-sensory environments (MSEs), or sensory rooms, are widely used in schools to support pupils with additional learning needs. While commonly accessed by autistic pupils, no research has directly explored their perspectives. Focussing on the impact of MSEs on wellbeing, we investigated autistic pupils’ self-reported experiences of MSE use. Thirteen autistic pupils (11–15 years) from mainstream schools participated. They completed semi-structured interviews with an autistic interviewer about their experiences, as well as a five-minute self-directed MSE session, which was video recorded. Reflexive thematic analysis of the interviews, conducted by one autistic and one non-autistic researcher, found that autistic pupils believed self-directed MSE use supported their mental wellbeing, learning, and ability to manage sensory overwhelm. Participants valued the flexibility to adapt the space according to their individual and context-dependent needs. While sensory equipment was frequently used, pupils also described engaging in a broader range of activities. Analysis of behaviours observed in the videoed session identified three themes: Turning Off and Relaxing; Sensory Seeking and Defence; and Stimming. Overall, findings suggest that autistic pupils experience MSEs as beneficial for both wellbeing and learning. The findings highlight the importance of self-directed, individualised approaches to sensory support and the value of creating autistic-informed spaces in schools.

Background: Brief questionnaires help clinicians to identify people who may require in-depth assessment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (hereafter autism) and also facilitate research. However, many current questionnaires do not map onto the latest DSM-5 criteria for autism and were developed by researchers and/or clinicians, with limited input from autistic people. The Signposting Questionnaire for Autism (SQ-A) is a caregiver-report questionnaire for measuring autism signs in children, based on DSM-5 criteria. Here, we developed a revised lifespan version, the SQ-A-2, with input on wording from autistic adults. We tested the SQ-A-2 as a self-report measure in autistic and non-autistic adults, and assessed the impact of the adapted wording on both the psychometric properties and the acceptability of the measure. Methods: The SQ-A, containing highly discriminating DSM-5 items from a valid clinical interview, was revised to form the 18-item SQ-A-2, with self- and informant-report options. Following input from a team of four autistic consultants and six autism professionals, item wording on the SQ-A-2 was adapted, thus forming Original and Adapted versions. Subsequently, a sample of autistic and non-autistic adults (N = 302), matched on age, sex, and general cognitive ability, completed both versions of the new SQ-A-2, as well as the widely-used 10-item Autism-Quotient (AQ-10). Autistic participants also rated their preferences for Original versus Adapted items, and provided qualitative responses for their reasoning. Results: Overall, the self-report version of the SQ-A-2 demonstrated excellent internal reliability and convergent validity with the AQ-10, and autistic adults scored significantly higher than non-autistic adults. This group difference was greater for the Adapted compared to the Original version of the SQ-A-2, suggesting autistic consultation may facilitate the development of clinically-useful measures. Additionally, autistic participants preferred the wording of the Adapted versus Original items, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Limitations: Our findings may not generalise to autistic people with intellectual disability. Ethnicity data was not collected. Conclusions: The adapted version of the SQ-A-2 has the potential to be a valid, clinically useful questionnaire for measuring DSM-5 signs of autism across the lifespan. Our findings also highlight the utility of incorporating autistic input into measure development. Further psychometric testing of the SQ-A-2 in larger, more diverse samples, including the informant-report version, is now required.

Background: Internalising and externalising behaviours—significant markers for lifetime psychiatric vulnerability—are elevated in children with neurodevelopmental diagnoses, including autism. Although neurodevelopmental features of autism are dimensions that span the population, limited research has examined their differential patterns of association with internalising and externalising behaviours in children without specific, categorically‐defined diagnoses. Evidence of such associations outside of a traditional diagnostic context may enable more targeted support for children's individual needs, irrespective of diagnoses. The current study aimed to characterise the relationship between neurodevelopmental features found in autism—restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) and social communication difficulties—and internalising and externalising behaviours in children from mainstream school who experience emotional, behavioural, or cognitive challenges. Methods: We recruited 136 6–7‐year‐olds without known clinical conditions but with school‐identified emotional, behavioural or cognitive difficulties. The Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire‐2 assessed RRBs, the pragmatics scale from the Revised Children's Communication Checklist‐2 assessed social communication, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire examined internalising and externalising behaviours. Results: Simultaneous hierarchical linear regression analysis identified differential associations when adjusting for covariance between internalising and externalising. Social communication made a stronger contribution than RRBs to variance in externalising behaviours ( F change _{(1, 131)} = 11.84, p < 0.001). However, for internalising behaviours, RRBs made the strongest contribution ( F change _{(2, 131)} = 8.19, p < 0.001). The insistence on sameness subdomain of RRB predicted variance in internalising but not externalising behaviours independently of social communication while the repetitive sensory and motor behaviour subdomain predicted variance in externalising but not internalising behaviours, but only when social communication was not included. Conclusion: These findings will inform future research aimed at understanding the co‐occurrence of traits across diagnostic boundaries. Evidence that RRBs and social communication are differentially associated with internalising and externalising behaviours may identify target areas for the support of children with emotional and behavioural difficulties, a group whose co‐occurring neurodevelopmental features are often under‐recognised.

Mental imagery vividness varies between individuals. Low levels of mental imagery have been associated with high levels of autistic traits, whilst autistic traits are known to positively correlate with sensory sensitivities. This would predict a negative correlation between sensory sensitivity and imagery. However, one recent study has suggested that mental imagery vividness may be positively associated with sensory sensitivities, possibly through the shared mechanism of hyperexcitability of the sensory cortices. The aim of this paper was to explore this contradictory set of associations across two modalities (visual and tactile). We used standardised questionnaires to measure autistic traits, sensory sensitivities, and mental imagery vividness in a sample evenly comprised of autistic and non-autistic adults ( n = 595). Higher autistic traits were significantly associated with lower mental imagery ( r = − 0.20 and r = − 0.17 for visual and tactile imagery respectively), and a higher incidence of aphantasia was observed in the autistic group compared to the non-autistic group. In addition, higher autistic traits were significantly associated with increased sensory sensitivities ( r = 0.76). Importantly, we found negligible evidence of an association between mental imagery and sensory sensitivity, even when controlling for autistic traits. In the first study to directly explore autistic traits, sensory sensitivities and mental imagery, we conclude that there is no clear evidence to suggest that mental imagery and sensory sensitivity are related, challenging the idea of shared mechanisms of hyperexcitability of sensory cortex.

In this paper, we describe and reflect on a consultation and co-production project designed to identify key developmental science research questions of relevance to pupils and education professionals. The paper reflects a collaboration between an academic research centre (Cardiff University Centre for Human Developmental Science), a science centre (Techniquest) and primary school pupils and education professionals based in South Wales, UK. We began by distributing a questionnaire to education professionals (primary school teachers and educational psychologists) to identify key themes for subsequent phases. Based on the feedback from this survey, we then delivered two types of school workshops (based on themes of sensory processing and of humour and wellbeing) for pupils. Finally, we brought pupils and teachers together for a co-production workshop to review the outcomes of the school workshops and identify new research questions. We reflect on the positive outcomes (e.g. positive teacher and pupil feedback, new questions to explore) and areas for improvement (e.g. low number of schools participating, managing power dynamics) and consider how to improve similar projects in the future. Our findings will benefit researchers and schools interested in co-producing research.

Social partners often co-ordinate their non-verbal behaviour in time, leading to interpersonal synchrony (IPS). IPS is known to positively influence neurotypical children's assessment of affiliation between social partners, but it is unclear whether IPS informs the social judgements of children who are not neurotypical. Children aged 4 to 8 years identified as experiencing emotional, behavioural and/or cognitive difficulties ( N = 136) completed a computer-based task in which they listened to tapping interactions between social partners. The simultaneity and regularity of partner tapping was independently manipulated. Participants rated partner affiliation and the ‘togetherness’ of partner tapping. Parents reported on children's: emotional and behavioural difficulties, autistic traits and inattention/hyperactivity. IPS did not significantly influence affiliation judgements across the sample as a whole. However, when analysed by gender, regularity (but not simultaneity) positively influenced boys’ perceptions of partner affiliation, whereas simultaneity (but not regularity) positively influenced girls’ affiliation judgements. Sensitivity to the social effects of IPS was not associated with parent-reported levels of difficulties or neurodivergent traits. Overall, children identified as experiencing emotional, behavioural and/or cognitive difficulties showed limited sensitivity to the social effects of IPS. Further research is required to understand the factors that explain variation in sensitivity to IPS as a social cue.

Activity in the beta frequency band appears to play a critical role in sensorimotor processing, with transient "bursts" exhibiting distinct waveform motifs that may reflect different neural computations. However, how these dynamics relate to motor development and neurodevelopmental conditions remains unclear. Here, we used EEG to investigate sensorimotor beta bursts in children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD). We characterized beta bursts during action execution and observation of gross and fine motor actions. Conventional spectral features and overall burst rates did not differ between groups. In contrast, children with DCD showed altered rate modulation of specific burst waveform motifs, including atypical hemispheric lateralization and disrupted interhemispheric connectivity. Critically, motif-specific burst rates were systematically related to motor performance across individuals, with similar relations observed across groups. These findings indicate that waveform-specific beta burst dynamics track graded variation in motor performance, rather than mapping selectively onto diagnostic status. Beta burst variability may therefore reflect the functional expression of motor performance, rather than a disorder-specific neural mechanism underlying DCD. This work highlights the importance of beta burst waveform diversity for understanding variability in sensorimotor function across development.