Parents of autistic children report barriers to engaging in physical activity, which may be exacerbated during subsequent pregnancies. We aimed to describe physical activity of parents caring for an autistic child, before and during a subsequent pregnancy, and to explore whether physical activity was associated with the autistic child's Social…

Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, aggression, and inattention are common in autistic youth and are challenging to treat by community providers. We aim to parse the heterogeneity of autism based on dimensions of executive function and determine whether specific executive function profiles are differentially related to…

To explore associations between autism traits and family functioning over time, we studied longitudinal data of a mixed group of 168 clinically referred autistic and non-autistic children. Cross-lagged models showed a significant association between fewer autism traits at the diagnostic assessment and better family functioning 1 year later for the…

Background: School shooting events and lockdowns have increased in the United States, raising concerns about their impact on youth mental health. Method: This study assessed the association between school lockdowns and changes in youth mental health in 10,049 children who participated in the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development study. The…

3q29 deletion syndrome (3q29del) is associated with a significantly increased risk for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the full spectrum of behavioral phenotypes associated with 3q29del is still evolving. Individuals with 3q29del (n = 96, 60.42% male) or their guardian completed the Achenbach Child or Adult Behavior…

Fetal androgen exposure may be associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We studied 1777 mother-child pairs in the prospective Odense Child Cohort. Prenatal androgen exposure was assessed by maternal 3rd trimester testosterone concentrations, maternal polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and 3 months offspring anogenital distance. ASD traits…

Emerging research suggests overrepresentation of gender diversity among autistic youth. Previous gender diversity research with autistic children has relied on parent-report based on a single question. The "Gender Diversity Screening Questionnaire--Self-Report and Parent-Report" assessed gender diversity experiences from 244 children…

For individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) daily living skills (DLS) fall below chronological age and have been linked to factors such as language. Given the impact of DLS on daily life, it is critical to gain a comprehensive understanding of DLS profiles in children to guide effective treatment. Using a large dataset from the Autism…

This study investigated the utility of using an omnibus measure of child functioning, the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), to screen for symptoms of PTSD. Although measures to assess trauma symptoms exist, they are often not linguistically and culturally valid for many school-age populations. Data from parents of Syrian refugee youth (ages 10-18…

This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Preschool Anxiety Scale--Revised (PAS-R), a parent-reported measure of their preschool child's anxiety symptoms. The participants were mothers of 279 Italian preschoolers (age 2-7 years, M = 4.5 years). According to information criteria derived from a confirmatory factor…

Objective: We examined the relative contribution of parental bipolar disorder (BPD) and psychiatric comorbidities (disruptive behavior disorders [DBD] and anxiety disorders) in predicting psychiatric symptoms and disorders in 2-5-year-old offspring. Methods: Participants were 60 families with a parent with BPD and 78 offspring and 70 comparison…

The goal of this prospective longitudinal study was to explore whether co-occurrent internalizing difficulties and aggression in early childhood convey increased risk for later mental health problems in middle childhood. Participants were mothers from the "Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study" (MoBa), who provided assessments…

Brain age, a measure of biological aging in the brain, has been linked to psychiatric illness, principally in adult populations. Components of socioeconomic status (SES) associate with differences in brain structure and psychiatric risk across the lifespan. This study aimed to investigate the influence of SES on brain aging in childhood and…

Objective: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity; however, other executive function dysregulation is common, including inhibition and working memory. This study aims to identify CT differences based on executive function performance in individuals with and without ADHD.…

Exploration of potential preliminary screeners, and examination of social intervention outcomes for effects on comorbid symptoms is imperative. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL; Achenbach & Rescorla, Achenbach and Rescorla, Manual for the ASEBA school-age forms & profiles, University of Vermont, Research Center for Children, Youth &…