Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of guided self-help for depression for autistic adults: the Autism Depression Trial (ADEPT-2) - protocol for a multicentre, randomised controlled trial of a remotely delivered low-intensity intervention.

Introduction: Depression is three to four times more prevalent in autistic people and is related to reduced quality of life. There is a need for empirically supported psychological interventions for depression specifically adapted to meet the needs of autistic adults. ADEPT-2 aims to establish the clinical and cost-effectiveness of an adapted low-intensity psychological intervention (guided self-help) for depression in autistic adults.

Behavioural interventions to treat anxiety in adults with autism and moderate to severe intellectual disabilities: the BEAMS-ID feasibility study.

Background: Interventions for anxiety need to be adapted to meet the needs of autistic people with moderate to severe learning disabilities and successfully modelled before evidence about efficacy can be generated from clinical trials.

Objectives: The objectives were to: (1) adapt a behavioural intervention for anxiety, develop an intervention fidelity checklist and logic model, and appraise candidate outcome measures, together with carers, autistic people, and clinicians, (2) characterise treatment-as-usual, (3) model the adapted intervention to determine the acceptability and feasibility for all stakeholders, judge the appropriateness of outcome measures, examine the feasibility and acceptability of consent and associated processes and (4) describe factors that facilitate or challenge intervention delivery.

Design: This study had two phases.

Does adapting a self-report instrument to improve its cognitive accessibility for people with intellectual disability result in a better measure? - A cognitive interview study.

Background And Aims: We investigated whether improving the cognitive accessibility of a widely used self-report measure leads to better understanding and more accurate answers in a sample of adults with mild intellectual disability and borderline intellectual functioning.

Methods And Procedures: We undertook a series of cognitive interviews before and after adaptation of the instructions and selected items of an existing self-report measure of adaptive functioning. Interview results and participant feedback were supplemented with quantitative comparisons between participant and carer scores.

Statistical analysis plan for the SOLUTIONS randomised controlled trial with internal pilot: Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in 10-17-year-olds presenting at policy custody.

Background: Within England, children and young people entering police custody are referred to Liaison and Diversion (L&D) teams. These teams liaise with healthcare and other support services aiming to divert children and young people away from the criminal justice system. Although targeted psychological interventions are not typically offered to children and young people by L&D teams, evidence suggests that Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) leads to a reduction in internalising and externalising behaviour problems.

Easy read health information for people with intellectual disabilities: A linguistic discourse analysis. What happens to language when it is simplified?

Introduction: Easy Read health documents prepared for people with intellectual disabilities are often generated from Standard Texts. Language in Easy Read versions is typically assumed to be simpler. However, simplification of language may have unintended consequences.

Behavioural interventions to treat anxiety in adults with autism and moderate to severe intellectual disabilities: The BEAMS-ID feasibility study.

Background: The aim of this feasibility study was to adapt and model a behavioural intervention for anxiety with autistic adults with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities.

Method: Twenty-eight autistic adults with moderate or severe intellectual disabilities, 37 carers, and 40 therapists took part in this single-group non-randomised feasibility study designed to test intervention feasibility and acceptability, outcome measures, and research processes.

Results: The intervention was judged as feasible and acceptable by autistic adults with intellectual disabilities, carers, and therapists.

The relationship between psychopathy and autism: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.

Background And Methods: The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise research examining the relationship between autism and psychopathy to: (a) better understand the relationship between these two constructs, and (b) describe the clinical manifestation of the two when they co-occur. A systematic search of the literature returned 36 studies.

Results: Across all ages, autistic individuals and those with elevated autistic traits but no autistic diagnoses appeared to have increased callous and unemotional traits or psychopathy relative to the general population.

Solutions Trial: Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) in 10-17-year-olds presenting at police custody: a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Within England, children and young people (CYP) who come into police custody are referred to Liaison and Diversion (L&D) teams. L&D teams have responsibility for liaising with healthcare and other support services while working to divert CYP away from the criminal justice system but have traditionally not provided targeted psychological interventions to CYP. Considering evidence that Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) leads to a reduction in internalising and externalising behaviour problems in CYP, the aim of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) was to determine whether there is a difference between services as usual (SAU) plus SFBT offered by trained therapists working within a L&D team, and SAU alone, in reducing offending behaviours in 10-17-year-olds presenting at police custody.

Floristic homogenization of South Pacific islands commenced with human arrival.

The increasing similarity of plant species composition among distinct areas is leading to the homogenization of ecosystems globally. Human actions such as ecosystem modification, the introduction of non-native plant species and the extinction or extirpation of endemic and native plant species are considered the main drivers of this trend. However, little is known about when floristic homogenization began or about pre-human patterns of floristic similarity.

Sertraline for anxiety in adults with a diagnosis of autism (STRATA): study protocol for a pragmatic, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised controlled trial.

Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed to manage anxiety in adults with an autism diagnosis. However, their effectiveness and adverse effect profile in the autistic population are not well known. This trial aims to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the SSRI sertraline in reducing symptoms of anxiety and improving quality of life in adults with a diagnosis of autism compared with placebo and to quantify any adverse effects.

Mapping and identifying service models for community-based services for children with intellectual disabilities and behaviours that challenge in England.

Background: One in five children with an intellectual disability in the UK display behaviours that challenge. Despite associated impacts on the children themselves, their families, and services, little research has been published about how best to design, organise, and deliver health and care services to these children. The purpose of this study was to describe how services are structured and organised ("service models") in England for community-based health and care services for children with intellectual disability who display behaviours that challenge.

Asynchronous multitrophic level regime shifts show resilience to lake browning.

Lake browning is widespread due to increased supply of dissolved organic carbon under climate warming and nitrogen deposition. However, multitrophic level responses to lake browning are poorly understood. Our study aims to explore such responses across multitrophic levels based on sedimentary records of diatoms, chrysophyte stomatocysts and chironomids in a remote headwater lake in the Three Gorges Reservoir region, central China.

Validation of the social communication questionnaire amongst Nigerian adolescents.

Few autism spectrum disorder (ASD) screening tools have been developed and validated in Africa. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) when used with Nigerian adolescents. Parents and caregivers of two hundred and five adolescents completed the SCQ Lifetime form while the adolescents were assessed for ASD using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, 2nd Edition (ADOS-2).

Systematic loss in biotic heterogeneity but not biodiversity across multiple trophic levels in Erhai lake, China.

Anthropogenic disturbances and climate change have significantly altered the biotic composition across many ecosystems, leading to changes in biodiversity and even ecological collapse. An ecosystem comprises multiple trophic levels, and the issue how these disturbances affect their assembly processes remains unclear. Ecological stability of assemblages was maintained by their structure, and thus, revealing structure changes across trophic levels could improve our understanding of how ecosystems response to disturbances as a whole.

Increasing Face Mask Wearing in Autistic Individuals Using Behavior Analytic Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The current review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of behavior-analytic procedures in increasing face mask-wearing in autistic individuals. This comes following recommended guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic. A systematic review and meta-analysis were completed of peer-reviewed and grey literature.

Response to ABAI Task Force on the Use of Contingent Electric Skin Shock.

In this article, the authors provide their response to the Association for Behavior Analysis International (2022) position statement on the use of contingent electric skin shock (CESS). In this response, we address concerns raised by the task force regarding limitations of the Zarcone et al. (2020) review article in which both methodological and ethical concerns were raised about the quality of research in the use of CESS with people with disabilities in the treatment of challenging behavior.

Using Precision Teaching to Improve Typically Developing Student's Mathematical Skills Via Teleconferencing.

This study evaluated the effects of Precision Teaching in improving typically developing students' mathematical skills when delivered via teleconferencing in India. Four students received Precision Teaching, while nine acted as control participants. Precision teaching involved instruction in three mathematical skills; two prerequisite skills and the primary skill of mixed addition and subtraction facts.

Clinical and cost evaluation of two models of specialist intensive support teams for adults with intellectual disabilities who display behaviours that challenge: the IST-ID mixed-methods study.

Background: Intensive support teams (ISTs) are recommended for individuals with intellectual disabilities who display behaviours that challenge. However, there is currently little evidence about the clinical and cost-effectiveness of IST models operating in England.

Aims: To investigate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of IST models.

Stakeholder perspectives on intensive support teams for adults with intellectual disabilities who display behaviour that challenges in England.

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities often display behaviour that challenges that is a result of biological differences, psychological challenges, and lack of appropriate social support. Intensive Support Teams (IST) are recommended to support the care needs of this group and avoid hospitalisation. However, little attention has been paid to the perspectives of stakeholders who manage, work in, or use ISTs.

Group CBT for men with intellectual disabilities and/or autism who have harmful sexual behaviour.

Objectives: Men with intellectual disabilities and/or autism sometimes engage in harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), but it may be harder for them to access treatment, than it is for non-disabled men. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of attending an adapted CBT group, known as SOTSEC-ID, on men with intellectual disabilities and/or autism who had HSB.

Method: Ninety-eight men from intellectual disability services, who had ID and/or autism and a history of HSB were recruited, and they received group CBT for a year (46 of these men have been previously reported).

PROTOCOL: Evaluating the application and effectiveness of precision teaching: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Precision Teaching is a behavior measurement system that emphasizes the development of behavioral repertoires and utilizes Standard Celeration Charts as its primary tool. This system has been applied across various areas, including mainstream and special education, and has successfully improved academic, motor, communication, and other skills. While previous systematic reviews have highlighted important aspects of Precision Teaching, a more comprehensive evaluation is needed to consider all its different applications and recent developments in conceptualizing it.

Inclusion of adults with conditions that have the potential to affect capacity and or communication in research: triangulation from a mixed-methods study of current practice and values across multiple stakeholders.

Objectives: We aimed to: (A) describe researcher decision-making when including or excluding adults with conditions that have the potential to affect capacity and/or communication in research and (B) explore the underlying values and reasoning of stakeholders in research which falls under the provisions of the Mental Capacity Act, 2005.

Design: The mixed-methods design included semistructured interviews with adults with conditions that have the potential to affect capacity and/or communication, supporters, researchers, research ethics committee members and an online survey with researchers. Triangulation was used to integrate the data and examine the complementarity of the findings.

A systematic review and narrative synthesis of inclusive health and social care research with people with intellectual disabilities: How are co-researchers involved and what are their experiences?

Background: Using inclusive research methods with people with intellectual disabilities is increasingly common. A recent consensus statement identified key elements when conducting and reporting inclusive research with people with intellectual disabilities. This review identifies the range of health and social care research topics using inclusive research methodologies, systematically appraises the involvement of researchers with intellectual disabilities, and identifies facilitators and barriers to inclusive research.