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Our Research

21 June 2024

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The ARC-NZ aims to lead an agenda for change in autism research in Aotearoa, toward one that includes and values Autistic people. In doing so, the centre will continue to produce innovative, world-leading, applied and translational research.

Researchers within the Autism Research Centre work collaboratively with the Autistic and autism communities, and a number of partner organisations, to co-design and undertake research.

We asked members of our Autistic Partnership Advisory Group what they think are some of the key priniciples that should inform autism research, how autistic people can be involved in autism research, and why this is important. This is what they had to say…

The research undertaken within the ARC is supported by internal and external grant funding and student researchers. Information about some of our core projects is provided below.

Current featured projects

This research will use participatory research design methods to develop a digitally-delivered professional education (DDPE) programme which aims to improve healthcare-related experiences among takiwātanga rangatahi. Through this research, we hope to develop, implement and pilot an autism-focused DDPE programme which serves to enhance HCPs’ understandings of the health-related needs of takiwātanga rangatahi presenting for healthcare in Aotearoa, with a specific focus on mental health.

To find out more, contact Taylor Scott: taylor.scott@pg.canterbury.ac.nz

This research is a co-venture between Autism New Zealand, The University of Otago, and the University of Canterbury, funded by the Laura Fergusson Trust and the Joyce Fisher Endowment Fund trust. This research includes an evaluation of the acceptability and feasibility of training New Zealand Early Childhood Educators to use a tool to help identify children showing early signs of autism; an evaluation of Let’s Play programme outcomes for Autistic children and their caregivers; and use of population-level data to evaluate health and well-being outcomes for Autistic children and their caregivers.

Please note that we are not currently seeking participants for this research but we look forward to sharing some our findings soon.

To find out more contact Laurie McLay: laurie.mclay@canterbury.ac.nz or Nick Bowden: nick.bowden@canterbury.ac.nz

With support from an MBIE science Te Whitinga fellowship from Royal Society, Jessica Tupou (Victoria University of Wellington) is currently working on a project which involves co-designing and evaluating a Māori-centred takiwātanga resource for early childhood educators supporting tamariki takiwātanga Māori. The resource, He Takiwā He Wawata, was created in collaboration with a Māori community rōpū and incorporates mātauranga Māori and Western knowledge related to supporting tamariki takiwātanga. It is currently being piloted and evaluated by educators and whānau from across Aotearoa with a view to updating and releasing it to the public in the second half of 2024.

To find out more contact Jess Tupou: jess.tupou@vuw.ac.nz

Led by Tori Evans (UC), this project will co-design a modified Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based support model for Autistic youth. The benefits of the this programme will be evaluated in terms of self-reported improvements in the mental health and well-being of Autistic adolescents.

To find out more contact Tori Evans: tori.evans@pg.canterbury.ac.nz

Dr Hannah Waddington (Victoria University of Wellington) is currently leading a series of studies to design and evaluate supports for children under five who are autistic, or who are showing signs of autism/social communication differences.

Find out more here: https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/autism-clinic/research/current-projects

Completed projects

Young Autistic children and their caregivers often have limited access to timely supports. However, high quality early support for the whole whānau is essential to maximise the learning and development of young Autistic children and caregiver wellbeing. This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and acceptability of two online support programmes, Play to Learn and ACTion in Caregiving designed to support children’s learning and parent well-being, respectively. This project is co-funded by Cure Kids and A Better Start - National Science Challenge (2021).

Please note that we are not currently recruiting for this project but look forward to sharing our findings and links to digital resources soon!

To find out more contact Laurie McLay: laurie.mclay@canterbury.ac.nz

This research focuses on the effectiveness and acceptability of digtally-delivered sleep support for Autistic children and their caregivers.

Please note that we are not currently recruiting participants for this research but we look forward to sharing our Good Night Programme resources in the coming months.

To find out more contact Laurie McLay: laurie.mclay@canterbury.ac.nz

A partnership with Autistic people, families and whānau, service and support providers and researchers

This project aimed to determine community priorities for future autism research in Aotearoa New Zealand. The project team included Autistic and non-Autistic researchers from the University of Canterbury and Autism New Zealand, led by Dr Lisa Marie Emerson. The project team worked in partnership with two advisory groups from the Autistic and autism communities to design and conduct the project activities. Through interviews, focus groups and an online survey we gathered the opinions of Autistic adults and young people, as well as members of the broader autism community, on autism research in Aotearoa New Zealand. This project was supported by a Health Research Council (New Zealand) Activation Grant (ref. 20/1237), and a College of Education, Health and Human Development Collaoration and Capacity Enhancing Grant (2021).

You can watch our project webinar here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ317CYCx4E

To find out more contact Lisa Marie Emerson: lisa.emerson@canterbury.ac.nz

In addition to our funded research, the ARC supports autism research conducted by post-graduate students and research fellows. Some of the student projects currently being undertaken at the University of Canterbury are noted below.

Monique Clarke - Evaluating the effectiveness of telehealth-delivered, parent-implemented sleep support for Autistic children.

Ursula Hanning - The role of child and family complexity variables on sleep intervention outcomes in Autistic children and adolescents.

Taylor Scott – Autism-focused digitally-delivered professional education in healthcare.

Holly Gray – Co-design of digital mental health support for Autistic youth with co-occurring anxiety: a qualitative inquiry.

Cat Noakes-Duncan - Exploring Influences on Early Autism Referral: Analysing Attitudes as Enablers or Barriers Among Early Referrers.

Tori Evans - Will co-designed modifications to an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based support model result in self-reported improvements in mental health of autistic adolescents?

Bella Rothwell – The effectiveness and acceptability of digitally-delivered supports focused on parent-child engagement and child and caregiver well-being.

Summer Hart - Re-conceptualising sleep hygiene among Autistic adults

We are passionate about supporting early career researchers, in particular Autistic researchers in autism research. If you are interested in carrying out a PhD within the ARC, then please get in touch with Prof Laurie McLay (laurie.mclay@canterbury.ac.nz), or any of our other researchers, via email.