Site Search-
Enter a search term
- Interventions
-
Browse 86 interventions from our knowledge base.
Or, enter a search term
- Translate This Page
Current and recent research projects
- Projects with Research Autism grants and/or funding sought
- Projects facilitated by Research Autism, with ongoing involvement
- Projects endorsed by Research Autism
Projects with Research Autism grants and/or funding sought
CYGNET project
The Cygnet project is a mentoring scheme for young people with autism spectrum conditions.
The need for this project was identified by individuals with autism spectrum conditions at a Research Autism Collaborative Autism Forum. Many say they would benefit from access to specialised, time limited mentoring. This may be in addition to or instead of family or other forms of support such as befriending. An outline scheme, called CYGNET, has been designed by a group of individuals with Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism facilitated by Research Autism. It is proposed to establish and evaluate the impact of such a scheme.
- More about the CYGNET project
Title: Early Intervention
Project No: 013
Project Area: Comparison of approaches
Lead Researcher: Prof Glynis Murphy
Institution: Tizard Centre, University of Kent
Date of application: June 2003
Status: Completed June 2004
Length: 1 year
Dissemination: complete
Title: CANDAA study (can diet affect autism?)
Project No: 004
Project Area: Evaluation of gluten/casein free diets
Lead Researcher: Prof Ann LeCouteur
Institution: University of Newcastle
Date of application: April 2004
Status: Pending: awaiting funds
Length: 3 years
Comment:
- We regret to announce that we have just been turned down for a grant for this work from the Medical Research Council. While this is clearly a major blow, we will continue to try to find a way to fund studies on this important issue.
- Test Foods study underway to support this work.
- More about Gluten-free, casein-free diets
Title: Test foods study
Project No: 20
Project Area: Testing of challenge foods as part of the CANDAA study
Lead Researcher: Professor Ann LeCouteur
Institution: University of Newcastle
Date of application: April 2006
Status: Underway
Length: 1 year
More about Test Foods Study
Title: SCAmP
Project No: 010
Project Area: Early intervention-effects of behavioural approaches
Lead Researcher: Prof Bob Remington
Institution: Southampton University
Date of application: January 2004
Status: Complete
Length: 3 years
Dissemination:
- Accepted for publication by American Journal on Mental Retardation
- Research report published by Research Autism
- More about the SCAmP project
- More about Early Intensive Behavioural Interventions
Title: Independence through interpersonal skills
Project No: 014
Project Area: Evaluation of effects of episodic memory and teaching interviewing techniques to students with ASD-use of video and other techniques
Lead Researcher: Paul Jackson
Institution: Manchester Business School – University of Manchester
Date of application: January 2005
Status: Funding sought from DWP.
Length: 3 years
Comment: MBS are making facilities and staff available free of charge. More funds may be needed at later stage of project.
Title: Bullying in school
Project No: 015
Project Area: Researching bullying of pupils with Asperger syndrome in UK secondary schools
Lead Researcher: Dr. Paul Naylor
Institution: University of Sheffield
Date of application: April 2004
Status: Initial stage complete.
Length: 1 year
Comment:
- £8k committed from Inge Wakehurst Trust; £9k committed from Esmee Fairbain Trust.
- A larger bid will follow to the ESRC after this stage of the project. (£350k)
The report has now been published as
- Research Report No. 3, September 2007 Bullying of children with autism in secondary schools. (PDF document)
- Wainscot, J. et al. (2008). Relationship with peers and the use of the school environment of mainstream secondary school pupils with Asperger syndrome (high-functioning autism): A case-control study. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 8(1), pp. 25-38. Read Full item (PDF document).
More about the Bullying in schools project
Title: LECA
Project No: 009
Project Area: Learning environments for children with autism
Lead Researcher: Rob Burn
Institution: Leiden University-Holland
Date of application: October 2004
Status: Underway
Length: 3 years
Comment:
- Funding from 3 Guineas Trust.
- Funds administered via Research Autism.
- Shortfall of funding identified, awaiting proposal to develop furniture for project.
Title: Sleep project
Project No: To be confirmed
Project Area: Respite care and sleep
Lead Researcher: To be appointed
Institution: To be appointed
Status: tbc
Length: tbc
Comment: Information on respite care sought via National Autistic Society website
More about Sleep problems
Title: Sleep project
Project No: 21
Project Area: Sleep database
Lead Researcher: Nicola Edelstein
Institution:
Status: Fundraising underway
Comment:
- Costs and details of sleep database to be agreed by Scientific and Advisory Committee.
- Trials identified to date
More about Sleep problems
Prisons
Project No: 017
Project Area: To establish the prevalence of ASD in prison
Lead Researcher: Prof Eve Johnstone and Dr Lindsay Thomson
Institution: Edinburgh University
Application date: October 2006
Status: Underway
Comment:
- Screening of Scottish prisons now underway.
- To report late 2008
QUEST
Project No: 022
Project Area/s:
- To ascertain the prevalence, severity, impact and pervasiveness of a wide range of emotional and behaviour problems in a representative clinical sample of children aged 4-8 years who have an autism spectrum diagnosis, using parent and teacher completed questionnaires.
- To determine the prevalence of psychiatric disorders using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) criteria among this young age group, and to explore whether there are important sex differences in the rate and type of psychiatric disorders.
- To assess which of two questionnaires chosen by our ‘consumer focus ‘ group is best for routine use in clinic, as indexed by their test-retest reliability and validity in relation to a gold standard diagnostic interview.
- To determine the persistence and new onset of emotional and behavioural problems through repeat evaluation one year later.
Lead Researcher: Professor Gillian Baird
Institution: Guy’s Hospital, London
Application date: To be confirmed
Status: Underway
Comments:
- More about the QUEST project
Prevalence of autism in adults
Project No: 023
Project Area: To establish the numbers and needs of adults with autism in the UK
Lead Researcher: to be confirmed
Institution: to be confirmed
Application date: to be confirmed
Status: to be confirmed
Comment:
One of Research Autism’s key priorities for 2008/9 is to get underway the UK’s first major study of the numbers and needs of adults with autism.
Following discussions with the Department of Health, we are currently working with leading academics such as Professor Terry Brugha of Leicester University, Professor Martin Knapp of the LSE and Professor Digby Tantam of the University of Sheffield to scope the best possible framework for this work, to ensure that we capture the true picture of adults with autism across the spectrum.
More about the Prevalence of autism in adults project
Self-injury
Project No: 025
Project Area: Identifying early risk markers of Self-injurious behaviour
Lead Researcher: Prof Chris Oliver
Institution: University of Birmingham
Application date: September 2007
Status: Underway
Comment:
Projects facilitated by Research Autism, with ongoing involvement
Q Chat
Project No: 001
Project Area: Comparison of early versus late intervention
Lead Researcher: Professor Simon Baron-Cohen
Institution: ARC Cambridge
Length: 5 years
Status: Underway
Comments:
More information about the Q CHAT project
Title: Sleep and Melatonin
Project No: 016
Project Area: Sleep and Melatonin
Lead Researcher: Dr. Paul Gringras
Institution: Guys Hospital
Length: 2 years
Status: Pending
Comments:
- Initiative following the Research Autism Collaborative Forum on Sleep.
- Ongoing support of Research Autism.
- Funding for dissemination may be sought later.
- Some of the funding obtained by Dr. Gringras and colleagues to expand pending sleep study to be more autism specific.
More about Sleep problems
Title: Adult life for people with autism and Asperger syndrome – Achievements, challenges and needs
Project No: 021
Project Area: Outcome in adult life in higher ability people with autism/Asperger Syndrome
Lead Researcher: Professor Pat Howlin
Institution: Institute of Psychiatry
Length: To be confirmed
Status: Underway
Comments: Follow up study of investigation carried out 15-20 years ago
- More information about This project
Projects endorsed by Research Autism
Title: Music for Autism ‘Connections project’
Project No: 005
Project Area: Evaluation of effects of music on children with ASD
Lead Researcher: Jessica Curry
Institution: University of Portsmouth/RSA
Status: Completed July 2005
Length: 2 years
Comments:
- Endorsement and collaboration of NAS and RA with RSA.
- Completed July 2005
- Double CD ‘Connections’ available
- Positive media reviews in Times Ed and Primary Music Today
Other
- More information about This project
- More about Music therapy
Title: Testing in Special Education
Project No: 008
Project Area: Field Testing of Instruments
Lead Researcher: Mariam Aljunied
Institution: UCL and University of Singapore
Status: Completed November 2004
Length: 1 year
Comments: Completed November 2004
Title: PACT (Pre-school autism communication trial)
Project No: 003
Project Area: Comparing interventions
Lead Researcher: Dr Jonathan Green
Institution: University of Manchester
Status: Underway
Length: 3.5 years
Comments:
- Funded by MRC
- Commenced July 2005
- Endorsement of NAS and RA
- May need some funds for travel later
A report of the original research study on which this project is based can be found below.
Aldred, C., Green, J. and Adams, C. (2004). A new social communication intervention for children with autism: pilot randomised controlled treatment study suggesting effectiveness. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 45(8), pp. 1420-1430. Read Abstract
Title: Drama and Autism
Project No: 006
Project Area: Effects of drama on social skills training for students with ASD
Lead Researcher: Daisy Loyd
Institution: Institute of Education
Status: Underway
Comments:
- PhD research
- Some of the funding obtained from ESRC
- NAS endorsement and collaboration
- Project now started in conjunction with Institute for Education, Sybil Elgar School and Heathermount House.
- Phase 1 written up for Special Education journal
Title. Outcomes in adults study
Project No: 018
Project Area: Long term outcomes in high functioning adults with autism and adult siblings
Lead Researcher: Professor Patricia Howlin
Institution: Institute of Psychiatry, London
Status: Pending funds
Comments:
- Research Autism endorsement
- National Autistic Society are participating
Title. Comparison of EIBI and specialist nursery provision
Project No: 019
Project Area: Two-year follow-up study of early intensive home-based behavioural intervention and specialist pre-school provision for children with autism spectrum disorders
Research Group: Patricia Howlin, Iliana Magiati, Tony Charman, Jo Moss
Institutions: Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, St. George’s University of London and the UCL Institute of Child Health
Funding: Action Research, St George’s University of London, Greek Government Department of Education
Aims: To compare the long term effects of EIBI and specialist nursery provision for pre-school children with autism nursery provision resulted comparable gains for children with autism.
Status: Research complete and published
Comments:
- More about the project
- More about Early Intensive Behavioural Interventions
Last Updated : 31/10/2008 Back to Top
