Can eye-tracking technology support better early autism diagnosis?

Getting an autism diagnosis for a young child can be a long and frustrating process for families. In the future, eye-tracking technology could support clinicians to detect autism more accurately and make the diagnostic process more efficient.

We need the help of young children – with and without autism – to test a new eye-tracking product!

Who can be involved

Children with autism:

• Aged 2 – 4 years 11 months
• No significant visual or hearing impairment
• Diagnosed with autism (with supporting letter or report available

Children without autism:

• Aged 2 – 4 years 11 months
• No significant visual or hearing impairment
• No developmental difficulties or concerns
• No autism in siblings or parents

What is involved?

Parents complete questionnaires about the child and family.

Children with autism complete standardised, play-based developmental assessments.

All children view a short ( 2 1/2 minute) animation on an eye-tracker – just like watching tv!

For more information or to get involved please contact:

Melbourne: Lacey Chetcuti, l.chetcuti@latrobe.edu.au

Perth: Alena Clark, Alena.Clark@telethonkids.org.au

You can read the Participant Information Statement here.

La Trobe University Human Ethics Committee Approval: HEC19027

Power posing to increase social confidence, power and emotional…

The aim of the project is to investigate your ability to perceive your own bodily signals (interoception) and whether it can be improved after one week of power posing training. Good interoceptive ability has been linked to emotional regulation, good mental health and positive social relationships with others. Recent research has shown that impairments in interoceptive ability can be improved through interventions designed to increase body awareness.

Who can Participate

Adults:

• Between the ages of 18-70 years
• With or without a diagnosis of Autism
• Living in Victoria
• Fluent in English
• Have no significant experience in power posing (e.g. have not done a study like this before)
• Can travel to La Trobe University, Bundoora on 3 separate occasions

What is Involved

• Complete three on-line surveys (20 minutes each time) at home over three weeks.
• Complete three behavioural assessments at La Trobe University, Bundoora
• Learn three different power poses and practise for one week at home

As a thank you for your time, you will receive a $50 Coles Myer Voucher.

If you are interested in participating in this study, or have any question please contact:

Dr Tania Pietrzak
OTARC Adjunct
t.pietrzak@latrobe.edu.au

Human Ethics Committee #18196

Tell us about your experiences

We would like to know more about how the lived experience (eg. age of diagnosis, experience of discrimination) of people on the spectrum influence their sense of identity, and how and when the choose to disclose they are on the autism spectrum.

Who can participate

• Adults with autism who are aged 18 years and over

• Participants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents.

What is involved

• Participants are asked to complete and anonymous online survey, that takes approximately 20-25 minutes.

• Participants will receive a $10 voucher upon completion of the survey

If you would like to find out more about this study you can read the full Participant Information Statement here. This link will take you to Qualtrics.com. If on reading more you agree to participate, you will be able to begin the survey.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Kind Regards,

Dr Simon Bury

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre
s.bury@latrobe.edu.au

Ethics Approval #UHEC18515

Help us to understand how early interventions support children…

We want to understand the relative benefits of interventions and supports for children and families by comparing groups of children receiving different types of early interventions.

We will do this by tracking the developmental progress of children and the wellbeing of their parents over a 2-year pre-school period.

Who can participate?
Parents and their child with autism (18m – 3.5yrs old) who are willing to travel to La Trobe University Bundoora (Melbourne) campus

What is involved?
We will assess children’s developmental progress, and ask parents to complete questionnaires, interviews and provide saliva samples (to measure stress hormones) four times over two years.

For all families, as a Thank You for participating, we will provide a written assessment report on child progress following each of the four assessments.

To find out more, contact: Dr Cherie Green e: c.green@latrobe.edu.au t: (03) 9479 3648
Approved by the La Trobe University Human Ethics Committee: #16-136