News – Page 2 – Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre

Could supporting self-determination help Autistic adults improve their quality…

Full title: Could supporting self-determination help Autistic adults improve their quality of life?

This is a summary of the latest paper by PhD candidate Helen Andrews – “The Relationship Between Autistic Traits and Quality of Life: Investigation of Indirect Effects Through Self-Determination“. This paper was the outcome of their honours project, supervised by Dr Simon Bury and Associate Professor Darren Hedley.

OTARC Director’s report February 2024

A fresh year has begun and the second year of our re-imagined OTARC! I hope you were all able to have at least a little down time over the holiday period.

At OTARC, the hallways are buzzing again. This time, the office re-shuffle is in full swing! Creating neurodiversity-affirming workspaces is an idea gaining traction in the broader community and at OTARC, we aim to practice what we preach. This includes attention to smaller details such as dimmable lighting, provision of headphones for staff in shared office spaces and fidget toys at meetings. But it is also some of the bigger things like understanding our own and other’s preferred working and communication styles and advocating for space planning that accounts for neurodiversity. Credit is due to our Centre Manager, Doug Scobie, for steering this process. As you’ll see in this month’s newsletter, OTARC has been on the forefront of research to understand what leads to employment success for Autistic people. We hope to enact findings from this research in our day-to-day practice.

Understanding factors influencing inclusion and participation in community gym…

Georgia McKenzie will discuss the findings of her PhD research, which explored inclusion and participation in community gym settings for adults with cerebral palsy. Georgia will present the findings from a series of studies that have identified and examined key relationships between young adults with cerebral palsy and the environments around them that are influencing their participation in community gyms. Georgia will conclude the seminar with a discussion on the implications of the findings, and recommendations for change across the rehabilitation and recreation sectors.

OTARC Director’s report December 2023

A Heartfelt Thank You as We Bid Farewell to 2023.

As we approach the end of another remarkable year, I find myself reflecting on the incredible journey OTARC has travelled this year. As the director of the Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, I am filled with gratitude and awe for what has been accomplished.

OTARC @ #ASfAR 2023

The Australasian Society for Autism Research 2023 in-person conference was hosted by the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand from 6-7 December.

Australia’s rates of autism should be celebrated -but real-life…

Full title: Australia’s rates of autism should be celebrated -but real-life impact, not diagnosis, should determine NDIS support

Nancy Sadka, La Trobe University and Josephine Barbaro, La Trobe University

Ahead of the release of the government’s review into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), the topic taking centre stage is the diagnosis of autism. Over one third of people accessing the scheme list it as a primary disability.

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has flagged changes to NDIS access, shifting the emphasis from diagnosis to the real-world impact of autism on learning or participation in society. He’s called for education and health systems to step up and be part of a broader ecosystem of supports.

“We just want to move away from diagnosis writing you into the scheme,” the minister said this week. “Because what [then] happens is everyone gets the diagnosis.”

Is autism “over diagnosed” in Australia due to the NDIS, or is it being better identified?

Autism prevalence in Australia: What we know so far

There have been no systematic studies on the prevalence of Autism in Australia. Accurate prevalence data allows for planning necessary services and supports, and also helps to build community understanding for Autistic Australians. We know that Autistic individuals make up approximately 30% of people accessing the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), however without accurate prevalence data, it is difficult to know what proportion of Autistic individuals are receiving funding.

In this blog post, we’ll delve into some of our research that aims to understand the prevalence of Autism in Australia. OTARC researchers have conducted four studies that have created a clearer picture of the situation and highlighted areas where more attention and support may be needed.

OTARC Director’s Report September 2023

It appears that Spring has sprung! And with it some warmer weather, some sunshine, and a new family of very cute ducklings on La Trobe University’s Bundoora campus. At OTARC, Spring has brought us international visitors and an opportunity to meet members of the community at our Research Showcase in what we hope will become a regular event. This event, held on September 7th at La Trobe University’s Melbourne city campus, was an opportunity to showcase a sampling of our current and proposed research projects across our four program areas; Identification and Diagnosis, Supports and Practices for Daily Living, Vocational Engagement and Health and Wellbeing. We heard from our senior and junior researchers in rapid-fire 10-minute talks. Members of the audience were able to ask questions of the researchers which led to lively discussion. Even as Director, I learnt new things about the work that our researchers are doing and further appreciated the breadth and reach of OTARC’s research. It was wonderful to see so many members of the community in attendance and we will look to further refine the format for future events.

What are ‘masking’ and ‘camouflaging’ in the context of…

Many autistic people and ADHD-ers report using “masking” and “camouflaging” in their lives. This is where people conceal certain traits and replace them with neurotypical ones to avoid being recognised as neurominorities.

OTARC Director’s Report July 2023

It has been a busy three months since our last newsletter. Our re-imagining agenda continues at pace as we hire new staff and settle further into our new structures. Several new professional staff have been appointed to new research support roles including: Wade Burton (Grants & Finance), Asher Mills (Data Officer), Laura Dhondy (Communications) and Susan Conduit (Administration). We have also appointed two new international Early Career Fellows – Dr Daryll Archibald (University of Dundee) and Patrick Dwyer (University of California, Davis). Both are in the process of relocation to Melbourne and will commence with us in September.

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