A Systematic Review of Implicit Versus Explicit Social Skills Group Programs in Different Settings for School-Aged Autistic Children and Adolescents.

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify and evaluate the quality of randomised controlled trials (RCTs), assessing the efficacy of Social Skills Group Programs (SSGPs) for primary and secondary school aged autistic children and adolescents exploring the influence of informant, setting characteristics and teaching strategies as moderating factors for social outcomes. A search of the electronic databases of Medline, ProQuest, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Sciences electronic databases was conducted for the period January 1, 2013 until December 31, 2023 for peer-reviewed RCT studies published in English, evaluating the efficacy of SSGPs for school-aged autistic children and adolescents (6-18 years). Included studies were assessed for methodological quality and efficacy using random effect meta-analysis.

Adaptation and Feasibility of KONTAKT™ Social Skills Toolbox Group Program for Australian Autistic Children.

Background: Although autistic individuals are interested in interacting with peers, they express a need for social skills programs that could support them in navigating their daily social world, which is governed by neurotypical social norms.

Aim: This study investigated the feasibility and adaptability of the manualised and evidence-based program KONTAKT™ Social Skills Toolbox Group Program in supporting autistic children aged 8 to 12 years in navigating their everyday social worlds.

Material And Methods: KONTAKT™ was delivered to 15 autistic children (Mage=10.

Feasibility and cross-cultural validation of an adapted social skills group training programme (KONTAKT CHILD) for Chinese autistic children: a waitlist RCT protocol.

Introduction: School-age autistic children commonly experience social communication and interaction challenges in their everyday lives. While international evidence suggests that social skills group training (SSGT) programmes can support autistic children, improving their psychosocial functioning, to date there is no standardised evidence-based SSGT tailored towards the needs of autistic children aged 8-12 years living in the Chinese Mainland. Therefore, the primary objective of this study will be to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally adapted 16-session version of the social skills programme KONTAKT in Chinese autistic children.

Facilitated Peer Group Mentoring for Underrepresented Biomedical Researchers: Facilitators' Experiences and Implications for Dissemination of a Curriculum.

Peer group mentoring facilitated by senior faculty represents an effective approach. However, for underrepresented biomedical researchers, access to senior faculty from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups is limited. We explored motivations, benefits, and challenges for facilitators enrolled to deploy an intervention in the context of a randomized controlled trial that tested two peer group mentoring strategies for underrepresented early career researchers.

Acute analgesic effect of nicotine vaping using three experimental pain induction tasks: a randomized, placebo-controlled laboratory study.

Rationale: Pain and nicotine use are co-occurring conditions with a significant impact on health. Experimental evidence supports an acute analgesic effect of nicotine which may reinforce nicotine use among those with chronic pain. Evidence for nicotine analgesia have primarily been gathered in combustible cigarette users and have not been extended to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS or vaping).

Osteoporosis Evaluation and Management in Spine Surgery.

Osteoporosis is a global health problem affecting over 200 million people worldwide and 54 million adults in the United States. Approximately half of all postmenopausal women will have an osteoporosis-related fracture during their lifetime. In the United States, the direct medical cost related to osteoporosis is expected to exceed $25 billion by 2025.

'We are all bringing, like a unique sort of perspective': The core elements of a strengths-based digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the perspective of their mentors.

Introduction: While the adoption of strengths-based approaches to supporting autistic adolescents is growing in popularity, the application of this approach to a digital arts mentoring program has yet to be explored. This study reports on the core elements contributing to the success of a community digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents from the mentors' perspective. This paper presents an in-depth exploration of mentors' experiences, comprising a component of a broader line of research investigating a digital arts mentoring program for autistic adolescents emphasising positive youth development.

Unilateral versus bilateral pedicle screw fixation with anterior lumbar interbody fusion: a comparison of postoperative outcomes.

Purpose: To determine of the impact of ALIF with minimally invasive unilateral pedicle screw fixation (UPSF) versus bilateral pedicle screw fixation (BPSF) on perioperative outcomes, radiographic outcomes, and the rates of fusion, subsidence, and adjacent segment stenosis.

Methods: All adult patients who underwent one-level ALIF with UPSF or BPSF at an academic institution between 2015 and 2022 were retrospectively identified. Postoperative outcomes including length of hospital stay (LOS), wound complications, readmissions, and revisions were determined.

'If I Don't Have My Support Worker in the Room…': A Multi-perspective Mixed Methods Study of Remote Daily Living Support for Neurodivergent Young Adults.

Purpose: Information technology is increasingly being employed for providing support and interventions in disability and health service contexts. This study aimed to investigate service users' and support workers' perspectives on remote support in daily living for young adults with neurodevelopmental conditions.

Methods: Using a convergent mixed methods approach, we integrated qualitative and quantitative findings from survey responses and focus groups.

Motivation to participate in structured physical activity for autistic youth: A systematic scoping review.

Autistic youth participate less in physical education classes and organised sport than their neurotypical peers. We conducted a review of existing studies to investigate what is known about what motivates (and does not motivate) autistic youth to take part in structured physical activities. We systematically searched electronic databases and found 18 publications that met the criteria to be included in this review.

How can we reach long-lasting inclusive participation for all? A vision for the future.

In 2022, an international conference was held focusing on 'participation'. We shared current evidence, identified knowledge gaps and worked together to understand what new knowledge and community and practice changes were needed. This brief communication is a summary of the conference delegates' discussions.

Validating the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets for Autism in a Sample of Australian School-Aged Children on the Spectrum.

Assessing functioning of children on the autism spectrum is necessary to determine the level of support they require to participate in everyday activities across contexts. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is a comprehensive biopsychosocial framework recommended for classifying health-related functioning in a holistic manner, across the components of body functions, activities and participation, and environmental factors. The ICF Core Sets (ICF-CSs) are sub-sets of relevant codes from the broader framework that provide a basis for developing condition-specific measures.

The Gestalt of functioning in autism revisited: First revision of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets.

Autistic people experience individual strengths and challenges as well as barriers and facilitators in their environment. All of these factors contribute to how well autistic people can cope in everyday life, fulfill the roles they choose, and meet their needs. The World Health Organization has developed a system aiming to capture the many factors within people (like how someone thinks and feels) and outside of people (things around a person) that influence their daily living, called the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Assessment of functioning in ADHD according to World Health Organization standards: First revision of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health Core Sets.

Aim: To conduct the first revision of the World Health Organization International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Core Sets for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Method: A Delphi-like method was used, integrating evidence from stakeholder feedback and developing and piloting the ADHD ICF Core Set platform to inform revisions to the ADHD Core Sets.

Results: A total of 27 second-level ICF codes were added to the comprehensive ADHD Core Set: body functions of temperament and personality, and basic sensory functions; activities and participation in terms of learning to read and write, spoken communication, community life, religion and spirituality, education, economy, and human rights; environmental factors for domestic animals; and several societal services.

Addressing the Gender Gap in Academic Success: A History of the University of North Carolina Association of Professional Women in the Medical Sciences.

Despite efforts at many institutions, nationally, women still lag behind their male counterparts in leadership, promotion, and seniority. In this paper, we describe the efforts to improve the environment for women faculty at one large academic medical center through the creation of an Association of Professional Women in Medical Sciences. Over the years, the group has helped influence policies that directly affect women faculty, provided high-yield programming on topics related to women's success, and created interprofessional networking opportunities for women faculty.

A Practical Framework for Delivering Strength-Based Technology Clubs for Autistic Adolescents.

Autistic individuals experience poor vocational outcomes internationally. Transition planning and interventions during adolescence may assist in improving outcomes in adulthood. Strength-based technology clubs show promise in improving outcomes for autistic adolescents by developing skills specific to the Information and Communication Technology industry, and fostering positive traits, such as self-determination.

Impact of Surgeon Case Volume on Outcomes After Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Introduction: Despite a rapid increase in utilization of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA), volume-outcome studies focusing on surgeon volume are lacking. Surgeon-specific volume-outcome studies may inform policymakers and provide insight into learning curves and measures of efficiency with greater case volume.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study with longitudinal data included all rTSA cases as recorded in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Limited Data Set (2016 to 2018).

An 11-Year-Long Analysis of the Risks Associated With Age in Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion in a Large, Urban Academic Hospital.

Study Design: A retrospective database study of patients at an urban academic medical center undergoing an Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) surgery between 2008 and 2019.

Objective: ACDF is one of the most common spinal procedures. Old age has been found to be a common risk factor for postoperative complications across a plethora of spine procedures.

Sociocultural factors associated with detection of autism among culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia.

Background: The age at which parents or caregivers first develop concerns about their child's development has significant implications on formal diagnosis and intervention. This study aims to determine the sociocultural factors that are associated with the age and type of first concern reported by parents of autistic children among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia. We also assessed whether sociocultural factors predict autism traits measured in terms of social affect (SA), restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB), and calibrated severity scores (CSS).

Perioperative pain protocols following surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a snapshot of current treatments utilized by attending orthopedic surgeons.

Purpose: Perioperative management after adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) surgery varies extensively between surgeons and institutions. We devised a questionnaire to assess surgeon baseline characteristics, practice settings, and pain regimens to assess what factors contribute to perioperative pain protocols.

Methods: A multiple-choice questionnaire including 130 independent variables regarding baseline characteristics, practice environments, and pain regimen protocols was distributed to elicit information among surgeons performing AIS fusion surgery.

Hormone sensitivity predicts the beneficial effects of transdermal estradiol on reward-seeking behaviors in perimenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial.

Unlabelled: Depression is highly prevalent during the menopause transition (perimenopause), and often presents with anxious and anhedonic features. This increased vulnerability for mood symptoms is likely driven in part by the dramatic hormonal changes that are characteristic of the menopause transition, as prior research has linked fluctuations in estradiol (E2) to emergence of depressed mood in at risk perimenopausal women. Transdermal estradiol (TE2) has been shown to reduce the severity of depression in clinically symptomatic women, particularly in those with recent stressful life events.