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This study examines the experiences of 10 neurodiverse students in Amsterdam, Netherlands, who all participated within in-class youth-led book clubs that centered science fiction. Over a 6-month period, the researcher conducted pre- and post-interviews and analyzed these along with transcription data from 24 book club sessions. Findings reveal that book clubs, using culturally sustaining science fiction and healing-centered facilitative practices, provide opportunities to address students' academic and emotional literacies as well as their sense of agency.

Purpose: Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts approximately 7% of the population and is characterized by unexplained deficits in expressive and/or receptive components of language. A common procedural learning task, serial reaction time (SRT), has been used to develop models of the basis of DLD. However, paradigms involve differing levels of implicit and explicit learning during this task, muddying interpretations of the data. Here, we tested adults with DLD on implicit and explicit SRT tasks to better understand implicit and explicit procedural learning in this population. We hypothesized that adults with DLD would demonstrate reduced learning on only the implicit SRT task, as alternate explicit neural mechanisms could lead to equivalent performance on the explicit task. Method: Fifty participants (25 with DLD and 25 with typical language) completed implicit and explicit SRT tasks, measuring their ability to learn visually presented 10-element sequences. Group differences were evaluated on sequence learning, error rates, and explicit recall of the sequence after learning. Results: Sequence learning was the same between the groups on both tasks. However, individuals with DLD showed increased errors and significantly worse recall of the explicitly learned sequence. Conclusions: Results suggest that sequence learning may be intact in this population, while aspects of explicit learning and motoric responses are impaired. Results are interpreted in light of a neurobiological model of DLD.

Purpose: The present study investigated school absence among 1,076 5-15 year-old children with neurodevelopmental conditions (intellectual disability and/or autism) approximately one year following the start of COVID-19 in the UK. Methods: Parents completed an online survey indicating whether their child was absent from school during May 2021 and the reason for each absence. Multi-variable regression models investigated child, family and school variables associated with absenteeism and types of absenteeism. Qualitative data were collected on barriers and facilitators of school attendance. Results: During May 2021, 32% of children presented with persistent absence (missing = 10% of school). School refusal and absence due to ill-health were the most frequent types of absence, accounting for 37% and 22% of days missed, respectively. COVID-19 related absence accounted for just 11% of days missed. Child anxiety was associated with overall absenteeism and with days missed because of school refusal. Parent pandemic anxiety and child conduct problems were not associated with school absenteeism. Hyperactivity was associated with lower levels of absenteeism and school refusal but higher levels of school exclusion. A positive parent-teacher relationship was associated with lower levels of absenteeism, school refusal and exclusion. Child unmet need in school was the most frequently reported barrier to attendance while COVID-19 was one of the least frequently reported barriers. Conclusion: COVID-19 had a limited impact on school attendance problems during this period. Findings highlighted the role of child mental health in different types of absence and the likely protective role of a positive parent-teacher relationship.

3q29 deletion syndrome (3q29del) is associated with neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental phenotypes. We previously reported that graphomotor weakness is present in up to 78% of individuals with 3q29del. We have now explored nuances of the graphomotor phenotype and its association with other comorbidities in this population. Participants were recruited from the online 3q29 registry (3q29deletion.org) for two days of deep phenotyping. 32 individuals with 3q29del (62.5% male) were evaluated with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI) to assess visual-motor integration. Participants were also evaluated with measures of cognitive ability, executive function, adaptive behavior, and school function. Males with 3q29del performed significantly worse than females on the VMI and Motor Coordination subtest. VMI performance was significantly associated with ADHD diagnosis and cognitive ability. Compared to published data from individuals with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, individuals with 3q29del showed significantly more impairment. The 3q29 deletion is associated with substantial deficits in visual-motor integration, Visual Perception, and Motor Coordination. Our data suggests that 3q29del may qualify as a nonverbal learning disability. Future studies should assess whether individuals with 3q29del would benefit from early interventions, including occupational therapy.

The dorsal stream vulnerability hypothesis posits that the dorsal stream, responsible for visual motion and visuo-motor processing, may be particularly vulnerable during neurodevelopment. Consistent with this, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been associated with deficits in global motion integration, though deficits in ventral stream tasks, such as form identification, have also been reported. In the current study, we examined whether a similar pattern of results is found in a cohort of 381 children born with neurodevelopmental risk factors and exhibiting a wide spectrum of caregiver-reported autistic traits. Methods: We examined the associations between global motion perception, global form perception, fine motor function, visual-motor integration, and autistic traits (autism spectrum quotient, AQ) using linear regression, accounting for possible interactions with sex and other factors relevant to neurodevelopment. Results: All assessments of dorsal stream function were significantly associated with AQ such that worse performance predicted higher AQ scores. We also observed a significant sex interaction, with worse global form perception associated with higher AQ in boys (n = 202) but not girls (n = 179). Conclusion: We found widespread associations between dorsal stream functions and autistic traits. These associations were observed in a large group of children with a range of AQ scores, demonstrating a range of visual function across the full spectrum of autistic traits. In addition, ventral function was associated with AQ in boys but not girls. Sex differences in the associations between visual processing and neurodevelopment should be considered in the designs of future studies.

Sensory Over-Responsivity (SOR) is an increasingly recognized challenge among children with neurodevelopmental concerns (NDC). To investigate, we characterized the incidence of auditory and tactile over-responsivity (AOR, TOR) among 82 children with NDC. We found that 70% of caregivers reported concern for their child's sensory reactions. Direct assessment further revealed that 54% of the NDC population expressed AOR, TOR, or both -- which persisted regardless of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. These findings support the high prevalence of SOR as well as its lack of specificity to ASD. Additionally, AOR is revealed to be over twice as prevalent as TOR. These conclusions present several avenues for further exploration, including deeper analysis of the neural mechanisms and genetic contributors to sensory processing challenges.

The aim of this study was to examine genetic variations underlying the early neurodevelopmental outcome of developmental disabilities (DDs). The study cohort consisted of 191 children with DDs. Diagnosis was assessed at baseline and at the index age (72-84 months). Exome sequencing was conducted and putative risk variants were identified. According to the diagnostic improvement, children were categorized into the improvement group (n = 19) and the non-improvement group (n = 172). Compared to the non-improvement group, the improvement group had lower number of risk variants in known DD genes and haploinsufficient genes, and lower number of overall putative risk variants. Our results may serve as a preliminary basis for developing a model that informs clinical outcome by sequencing analysis.

This paper presents "rational inattention" as a new, transdiagnostic theory of information seeking in neurodevelopmental conditions that have uneven cognitive and socio-emotional profiles, including developmental language disorder (DLD), dyslexia, dyscalculia and autism. Rational inattention holds that the optimal solution to minimizing epistemic uncertainty is to avoid imprecise information sources. The key theoretical contribution of this report is to endogenize imprecision, making it a function of the primary neurocognitive difficulties that have been invoked to explain neurodivergent phenotypes, including deficits in auditory perception, working memory, procedural learning and the social brain network. We argue that disengagement with information sources with low endogenous precision (e.g. speech in DLD, orthography-phonology mappings in dyslexia, numeric stimuli in dyscalculia and social signals in autism) constitutes resource-rational behaviour. We demonstrate the strength of this account in a series of computational simulations. In experiment 1, we simulate information seeking in artificial agents mimicking an array of neurodivergent phenotypes, which optimally explore a complex learning environment containing speech, text, numeric stimuli and social cues. In experiment 2, we simulate optimal information seeking in a cross-modal dual-task paradigm and qualitatively replicate empirical data from children with and without DLD. Across experiments, simulated agents' only aim was to maximally reduce epistemic uncertainty, with no difference in reward across information sources. We show that rational inattention emerges naturally in specific neurodivergent phenotypes as a function of low endogenous precision. For instance, an agent mimicking the DLD phenotype disengages with speech (and preferentially engages with alternative precise information sources) because endogenous imprecision renders speech not conducive to information gain. Because engagement is necessary for learning, simulation demonstrates how optimal information seeking may paradoxically contribute negatively to an already delayed learning trajectory in neurodivergent children.

Background: Neurodiversity is increasingly discussed in relation to autism research and practice. However, there is a lack of scholarship concerning the neurodevelopmental condition of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and the neurodiversity movement. While this movement may hold opportunities for the DLD community, the application of the concept of neurodiversity to DLD research and practice needs consideration, as DLD and autism have very different levels of public and professional awareness and understanding. Aims: In this article, we discuss what the concept of neurodiversity and the associated neurodiversity movement could mean for DLD research and practice. We aim to critique some assumptions that may arise from the application of neurodiversity principles (or assumed principles) to the field of DLD. Methods: This is a discussion paper, drawing on the personal experiences and reflections of the author team. Main Contributions: We make the case for why DLD should be included in discussions about neurodivergence and outline considerations for doing so, and why some issues and applications may be particular to DLD. We outline points of similarity and contrast with autism in relation to our understanding of neurodiversity. We consider the issues around diagnosis and terminology and urge practitioners to continue to diagnose DLD using currently agreed terminology, so as not to undermine recent awareness efforts. We note that a neurodiversity-informed perspective challenges us to offer interventions that operate at the level of our environments, not just at the level of an individual. Indeed, neurodiversity offers a platform to argue for better rights and more inclusive spaces in mental health settings, education and work for children and adults with DLD. Conclusions: DLD should be considered from a neurodiversity-informed perspective, and it is our hope that this will lead to neurodiversity-affirming practice that will afford young people with DLD better understanding from members of the public and the professionals who work with them. Further work is needed to better support children, young people and adults with DLD to have a voice in the neurodiversity movement.

Dyslexia, characterized by word reading and spelling deficits, has historically been viewed through a medical model of disability. However, a countermovement has emerged, emphasizing the strengths and abilities of neurodiverse individuals, including those with dyslexia. The concept of neurodiversity, which was initially introduced to help inform understanding of a mild form of autism, has expanded to include dyslexia. The expansion has occurred alongside a similar portrayal of dyslexia as an advantage that comes with specific gifts, creating a positive stereotype. While intended to empower individuals with dyslexia, the translation of the concept of neurodiversity to dyslexia in this way can inadvertently stigmatize and isolate those who do not fit this positive stereotype of dyslexia. This review, following a perspective review article format, synthesizes existing literature on the purported gifts of dyslexia and the implications of both negative and positive stereotypes on the well-being of individuals with dyslexia. The findings of this review underscore the importance of dispelling myths about dyslexia and advocating against the use of stereotypes, both negative and positive, in portraying dyslexia. Doing so will help remove the harmful effects of stigmatization, stereotype threat, and the potential of a fixed mindset inherent to being stereotyped.

We report preliminary results of computer vision analysis of caregiver-child interactions during free play with children diagnosed with autism (N = 29, 41-91 months), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, N = 22, 48-100 months), or combined autism + ADHD (N = 20, 56-98 months), and neurotypical children (NT, N = 7, 55-95 months). We conducted micro-analytic analysis of 'reaching to a toy,' as a proxy for initiating or responding to a toy play bout. Dyadic analysis revealed two clusters of interaction patterns, which differed in frequency of 'reaching to a toy' and caregivers' contingent responding to the child's reach for a toy by also reaching for a toy. Children in dyads with higher caregiver responsiveness had less developed language, communication, and socialization skills. Clusters were not associated with diagnostic groups. These results hold promise for automated methods of characterizing caregiver responsiveness in dyadic interactions for assessment and outcome monitoring in clinical trials.

Children with neurodevelopmental diagnoses often experience discrimination from their peers at school. This may result from a lack of understanding, and intolerance of differences in their thinking, communication and social interactions. Learning About Neurodiversity at School (LEANS) is a teaching programme designed to educate primary school children about the concept of neurodiversity. The LEANS programme was created by a neurodiverse team, using participatory methods. In the current study, we evaluated whether the wider neurodiverse community endorsed the planned design generated by our participatory approach. Respondents (n = 111) rated their support for key elements of the planned LEANS content, via an online survey. Participants were majority neurodivergent (70%), 98% of whom reported moderate-to-high familiarity with neurodiversity concepts. Over 90% of respondents expressed support for the planned content presented, and 73% of respondents endorsed the draft neurodiversity definition provided. A small number of respondents provided open-ended comments giving further detail on their views. Overall, the LEANS programme plan received a high level of support from this independent, neurodiversity-aware sample -- demonstrating the potential of small-group participatory methods to generate wider community support. The completed resource is now available as a free online download.

Underrepresentation of socioeconomically, culturally, and/or linguistically diverse (SCLD) children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) and their families has become a focal point for researchers. This systematic review aimed to identify researchers' strategies for recruiting and retaining SCLD families of children with NDD, published between 1993 and 2018. One hundred twenty-six articles were included, and study samples were categorized as "High SCLD" and "Low SCLD". Chi-square tests of independence were used to determine associations between sample composition (i.e., High/Low SCLD sample) and study characteristics reported. Significant associations were found between sample composition and studies that explicitly stated intention to recruit SCLD families, X[superscript 2](1) = 12.70, p < 0.001, Phi = 0.38 (moderate); and for studies that reported the following participant characteristics: language, X[superscript 2](1) = 29.58, p < 0.001, Phi = 0.48 (moderate-to-large); and race/ethnicity + SES + language, X[superscript 2](1) = 19.26, p < 0.001, Phi = 0.39 (moderate). However, associations were not found between recruitment and retention approaches and whether studies included High SCLD or Low SCLD samples. Further study of NDD researchers' recruitment and retention approaches that successfully include SCLD families is needed.

School buses facilitate access to education for many children. This research aimed to systematically review factors associated with safe school bus transportation for children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Searches of 5 databases, combining terms denoting NDDs and school buses, for English publications since 2000, yielded only 12 relevant articles among 1524 records. Literature was limited to parent-based studies, guidelines, reviews or commentaries. There was scant attention to the immediate roles of bus drivers and aides. Literature recommendations included increased attention to the needs of children with NDDs and improved communication, collaboration, support and training across all key stakeholders, particularly to improve implementation of individual child safety plans. Further research is needed on this critical support service for many families.

Purpose: Developmental stuttering is a complex and multifaceted neurodevelopmental disorder that may cause pervasive negative consequences for adults who stutter (AWS). Historically, intervention for AWS has primarily addressed speech fluency, with less focus on the covert psychosocial aspects of the disorder. The purpose of this article is to report on a feasibility trial evaluating a novel integrated intervention that combines traditional stuttering management techniques with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for AWS. Method: Twenty-nine AWS participated in the feasibility trial. All participants successfully completed a combined fluency and ACT intervention, titled the fluency and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Stuttering (fACTS) Program. As this was a feasibility study, no control group was included. Intervention was administered by two certified practicing speech-language pathologists, over eight 60- to 90-min sessions. Results: Generalized linear mixed modeling was used to determine change from pre- to post-intervention and follow-up. Significant pre- and post-intervention improvements in self-efficacy, psychosocial functioning, and psychological flexibility were observed, along with significant reductions in observable stuttering behaviors (i.e., stuttered speech frequency). Intervention gains for all variables of interest were maintained 3 and 6 months post-intervention. Conclusions: The fACTS Program was created to be a holistic and flexible intervention to promote self-efficacy beliefs and address stuttering-related psychosocial impacts and speech fluency goals of AWS. Preliminary results indicated positive improvement in all psychosocial outcomes (i.e., self-efficacy, psychosocial impact, and psychological flexibility) and observable speech fluency following completion of the program. Future clinical trials of the fACTS Program with an included control group will further investigate the mechanisms of change for the positive effects observed.

Patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities generally have less access to necessary medical care compared to those without disabilities. Barriers to adequate care include patient fear and uncooperative behavior during routine medical procedures and inadequate preparation of medical professionals to treat this population. Researchers have identified multiple behavior-analytic procedures for promoting comfort and cooperation during medical treatments. Efficient, cost-effective training programs are needed to widely disseminate behavior-analytic procedures to medical students and professionals. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of a virtual training to prepare medical students to implement behavioral procedures that could be easily incorporated into typical wellness examinations. Seven medical students received behavioral skills training (BST) delivered remotely via the Internet. Results showed that the training successfully increased students' correct implementation of the procedures in roleplay with the experimenter and with patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Responding also maintained at high levels 2 weeks after the training. These findings suggest that virtual BST is an efficient, practical approach for training health care professionals to implement general behavior management strategies to increase the comfort and cooperation of patients with NDD.

To review the longitudinal trajectories -- and the factors influencing their development -- of mental health problems in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Systematic review methods were employed. Searches of six databases used keywords and MeSH terms related to children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, mental health problems, and longitudinal research. After the removal of duplicates, reviewers independently screened records for inclusion, extracted data (outcomes and influencing factors), and evaluated the risk of bias. Findings were tabulated and synthesized using graphs and a narrative. Searches identified 94,662 unique records, from which 49 publications were included. The median publication year was 2015. Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were the most commonly included population in retrieved studies. In almost 50% of studies, trajectories of mental health problems changed by < 10% between the first and last time point. Despite multiple studies reporting longitudinal trajectories of mental health problems, greater conceptual clarity and consideration of the measures included in research is needed, along with the inclusion of a more diverse range of populations of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

There is a great need for education and training about neurodiversity due to the rapid increase of neurodivergent students enrolling in postsecondary educational programs. As neurodivergent professionals, we offer a look at the common myths and misunderstandings that plague neurodivergent students as well as highlight the strengths neurodivergent students bring to the classroom. We explain typical challenges and barriers to success neurodivergent students face as well as ways faculty and staff can support neurodivergent students.

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between depression and anxiety in parents with children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders. The main purpose of this study is to measure the level of depression and anxiety in parents whose primary school children and preschool children have been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and to correlate these disorders with sociodemographic characteristics. In this study participated 300 parents whose children were diagnosed with neuro-developmental disorders. For the methodology of this study, the integration of quantitative and qualitative methods was used. In this study, two closed-type instruments were used, one instrument measures anxiety and the other depression in parents whose primary school children and preschool children have been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings of this study have shown that depression has a high positive correlation with anxiety. As the level of depression in parents increases, so does the level of anxiety. Gender differences, statistically significant, between the level of depression of parents whose children have been diagnosed with neuro-developmental disorders, we see that mothers reach a higher average than fathers, also when it comes to anxiety, mothers reach a higher average than fathers.

The objective of this research is to look into the inclusion of children with neurological diseases in Indian education. According to the research, a substantial proportion of children in India have neurological disorders, and they frequently face barriers to education. The study examines the current situation of education for children with neurological problems in India, as well as the policies and laws that regulate their education. The review also looks at the difficulties that these children, their families, and educators have had in implementing inclusive education. Lastly, the report explores interventions and techniques that can help children with neurological disorders be included in Indian education settings with a concerted effort from all stakeholders involved in the education process.

This study aimed to investigate the entrepreneurial intention correlates among high school students with neurodevelopment disorders. The study was conducted using a correlational survey research design. The research data were collected from one hundred college students diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders through a questionnaire. The study findings indicated that these students with neurodevelopmental disorders' attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were significantly linked to their entrepreneurial intention. The results of this study demonstrate the significance of the Theory of Planned Behavior in analyzing the entrepreneurial intention of Nigerian high school students diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders. Career counselors must assist students with neurodevelopmental disorders to identify the skills or resources needed to succeed as entrepreneurs. Career counselors should guide them in mitigating any difficulties they might experience in finding an appropriate business venture that considers the severity of their disability.

Social-emotional learning (SEL) has received growing attention in recent decades. Although much is known about the benefits of integrating SEL in educational settings, knowledge about teachers' SEL learning is limited, particularly among special-education teachers from diverse backgrounds. The study's goals were: (1) to conceptualise the SEL learning of 30 in-service and preservice special-education teachers from the Bedouin community, where emotional restraint is the social norm; (2) to compare the learning patterns of teachers in different career stages. An exploratory case study was employed in a special-education school. Data collected from 20 interviews, 147 reflections and two focus groups were analysed using mixed methods (content analysis, exploratory analysis, and quantitative analysis). The findings revealed a three-phase model denoting teachers' SEL learning -- intrapersonal, interpersonal, and professional. Career stage-based differences were found. The study enhances our theoretical understanding of teachers' SEL learning, which ultimately may promote best SEL practice in special education.

In this study, we aimed to analyze the incremental effects of sensory integration therapy (SIT) plus neurodevelopmental therapy (NT) versus NT alone on the attention and motor skills in children with Down syndrome (DS). We randomly assigned into experimental (i.e. SIT + NT; n = 21) and control (i.e. NT alone; n = 21) groups. While NT was applied to both groups for six weeks, SIT was applied simultaneously to the experimental group for six weeks. Participants' motor functions (Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency--Short form (BOT-2 SF)) and attention skills (Stroop TBAG (Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Association) Form) were evaluated before and after treatment (6 weeks later). Stroop TBAG and BOT-2 SF scores of the groups were similar at the baseline (p > 0.05). Significant improvement from baseline was observed in both BOT-2 SF, and Stroop TBAG results in both groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the improvement in both BOT-2 SF and Stroop TBAG results was found to be greater in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). There were clear advantages to adding SIT to NT alone when seeking to improve motor and attention skills in children with DS.

The present study examined whether learning disabilities (LD) in reading and/or math (i.e., reading disability [RD], math disability [MD], and RD+MD) co-occur with other diagnoses. The data comprised a clinical sample (n = 430) with LD identified in childhood and a sample of matched controls (n = 2,140). Their medical diagnoses (according to the "International Classification of Diseases" nosology) until adulthood (20-39 years) were analyzed. The co-occurrence of LD with neurodevelopmental disorders was considered a homotypic comorbidity, and co-occurrence with disorders or diseases from the other diagnostic categories (i.e., mental and behavioral disorders, diseases of the nervous system, injuries, other medical or physical diagnoses) was considered a heterotypic comorbidity. Both homotypic and heterotypic comorbidity were more common in the LD group. Co-occurring neurodevelopmental disorders were the most prominent comorbid disorders, but mental and behavioral disorders, diseases of the nervous system, and injuries were also pronounced in the LD group. Accumulation of diagnoses across the diagnostic categories was more common in the LD group. No differences were found among the RD, MD, and RD+MD subgroups. The findings are relevant from the theoretical perspective, as well as for clinical and educational practice, as they provide understanding regarding individual distress and guiding for the planning of support.

Very preterm (VPT; < 33 weeks' gestation) toddlers screening positively for autism spectrum conditions (ASC) may display heterogenous neurodevelopmental trajectories. Here we studied neonatal brain volumes and childhood ASC traits evaluated with the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2) in VPT-born toddlers (N = 371; median age 20.17 months) sub-divided into three groups based on their Modified-Checklist for Autism in Toddlers scores. These were: those screening positively failing at least 2 critical items ("critical-positive"); failing any 3 items, but less than 2 critical items ("non-critical-positive"); and screening negatively. Critical-positive scorers had smaller neonatal cerebellar volumes compared to non-critical-positive and negative scorers. However, both positive screening groups exhibited higher childhood ASC traits compared to the negative screening group, suggesting distinct aetiological trajectories associated with ASC outcomes.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education research and physics education research, in particular, are currently struggling with a dearth of research into understanding the experiences and identity development of neurodivergent students. In addition, an even larger gap in research exists looking into nonacademic members who have left the field and still strongly identify with their disciplinary identity. As valued members of our physics community, these colleagues provide a unique perspective as to how identity and participation are nurtured and developed, particularly among rising disabled physicists. To resolve these current issues and aid in future research, we operationalize our new Critical Disability Physics Identity framework and present results from interviews with three neurodivergent post-baccalaureate nonacademic physicists (those who have left physics and retain a strong affinity toward their identity as a physicist). As the first paper in a four-part phenomenological study into the identity development of neurodivergent physicists, we also present an analysis of each interview through a Critical Disability Physics Identity lens and discuss the implications of their Critical Disability Physics Identity development. We find that neurodivergent students experience very little outright discrimination and violence but experience structural ableism in the form of assessment that is not constructed for how neurodivergent physicists perform physics-related tasks. Additionally, we find that neurodivergent physicists seem to ground identity in having a strong interest in physics, something that is only shaken by professors and others in power being neutral toward the discrimination experienced by neurodivergent people. We find that there are very large power imbalances between professors and neurodivergent students and that only when professors and others in power are actively anti-ableist is this power imbalance remedied and neurodivergent students begin to feel that they are physicists.

Microcephaly presents heterogeneous genetic etiology linked to several neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Copy number variants (CNVs) are a causal mechanism of microcephaly whose investigation is a crucial step for unraveling its molecular basis. Our purpose was to investigate the burden of rare CNVs in microcephalic individuals and to review genes and CNV syndromes associated with microcephaly. We performed chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in 185 Brazilian patients with microcephaly and evaluated microcephalic patients carrying < 200 kb CNVs documented in the DECIPHER database. Additionally, we reviewed known genes and CNV syndromes causally linked to microcephaly through the PubMed, OMIM, DECIPHER, and ClinGen databases. Rare clinically relevant CNVs were detected in 39 out of the 185 Brazilian patients investigated by CMA (21%). In 31 among the 60 DECIPHER patients carrying < 200 kb CNVs, at least one known microcephaly gene was observed. Overall, four gene sets implicated in microcephaly were disclosed: known microcephaly genes; genes with supporting evidence of association with microcephaly; known macrocephaly genes; and novel candidates, including OTUD7A, BBC3, CNTN6, and NAA15. In the review, we compiled 957 known microcephaly genes and 58 genomic CNV loci, comprising 13 duplications and 50 deletions, which have already been associated with clinical findings including microcephaly. We reviewed genes and CNV syndromes previously associated with microcephaly, reinforced the high CMA diagnostic yield for this condition, pinpointed novel candidate loci linked to microcephaly deserving further evaluation, and provided a useful resource for future research on the field of neurodevelopment.

Children with neurodevelopmental disorders often have social-emotional difficulties. Serious games can be used to support their social-emotional learning. This study investigated if 6-10-year-old children with autism spectrum condition, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and developmental language disorder would improve their emotion discrimination skills by playing a serious game. Intervention (n = 30) and control groups (n = 20), comprising children with neurodevelopmental disorders, and a group of typically developing (TD) age peers (n = 106), completed six emotion discrimination tasks. ABA research design was applied in this study. Prior to the game intervention, children with neurodevelopmental disorders were significantly delayed in relation to their TD age peers in all tasks. After playing the game for two months, the children in the intervention group had significantly improved their emotion discrimination skills in four tasks, whereas the control group had significantly advanced in only one task without practice. Intervention gains were maintained at the one-month follow-up. Parents reported that the children in the intervention group somewhat improved their emotion recognition and behavioural skills in daily life in comparison to the control group. Implications for practice are discussed.

Consensus is often a prerequisite for communities to develop initiatives to improve practice and create a future together. We investigated the consensus around the perceived educational inclusion of autistic and other neurodivergent students, their caregivers, and their teachers. Seventeen triads of informants plus two single students from mainstream secondary and high schools in Sweden underwent the standardized INCLUSIO interview operationalizing educational inclusion domains. Inclusive practice was reported across groups to be poorly to sufficiently developed for different domains and measures. Discrepancies were extensive between informants and most pronounced for students and parents versus teachers. The findings highlight limited consensus about inclusive education in practice and suggest enhanced participation of neurodivergent students and their parents to improve inclusive education implementation.

This study aimed to compare the executive functions (EFs) and occupational performance and perceived occupational proficiency (POP) in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, 72 children diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP; n = 22), specific learning disabilities (SpLD; n = 26) or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 24) were included in the study group and 84 typically developed children were included in the comparison group. All children were evaluated with the Child Occupational Self-Assessment (COSA) and all parents were evaluated with The Executive Function and Occupational Routines Scale (EFORTS) and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Accordingly, statistically significant differences were found between the study group and the comparison group in terms of total scores of the COSA and EFORTS (p < 0.05). In addition, there was a significant difference between the CP, ADHD, and SpLD diagnosis groups and the comparison group in terms of sub-parameters of COSA and EFORTS score (p < 0.05). The findings showed that children with different diagnoses within neurodevelopmental disorders have difficulties in different EFs and occupational performance areas. Also, the pattern of association between EF and POP was different for each group. Therefore, therapists need to consider occupational performance and POP with EFs in their assessments before planning their intervention.

The talents that neurodiverse individuals bring to STEM fields are being increasingly recognized, thus it is important to ensure neurodiverse youth have opportunities to experience an array of STEM fields as viable career options. Based on the results of a systematic review, this article provides recommendations for how informal STEM learning programs can effectively engage neurodiverse middle and high school students. The recommended strategies highlight ways that programs can increase student interest and confidence in STEM in an environment that values learning and social differences.

Background and Aims: The coronavirus pandemic (CP) leading to prolonged lockdown, and restriction of movement for almost two years in Bangladesh severely affected not only the well-being (physical and mental health) of both children and adults but also their access to home-based learning. The present study aimed to explore the mental, and physical health problems of children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), their use of telehealth services, and the status of their home-based learning by asking questions to their parents/primary caregivers (N = 149) during the second year of lockdown (November and December 2021). Methodology: The present study was a cross-sectional self-reported survey covering as many parents/primary caregivers as possible within Bangladesh. The survey questions were selected from a larger study by Masi "et al." named 'COVID-19 impact survey' with permission. A total of 149 parents/primary caregivers with one or more children (mean age = 5.54) having any of the NDDs took part in the survey. Data were collected via physical sitting, telephone interview, and anonymous Google form. Results: Almost one-third of parents/caregivers felt that the NDD symptoms of their children were worsening with time, and half of them reported that their children's health and well-being were negatively impacted. More than 90% of the caregivers felt that their children are facing challenges following the rules of social distancing. Whereas more than 80% of parents agreed that their children's learning was disrupted during COVID-19, and they were not getting enough online/offline support from the authorities. Conclusions: The outcome of this study suggested that CP had a significant impact on the well-being and home-based learning of children with NDDs and their families in Bangladesh. Most of the caregivers reported that the NDDs symptoms of their children are worsening with disrupted routine, facing problems following social distancing and maintaining fruitful relationships. In terms of home-based learning, most caregivers reported insufficient support from school authorities. The parents recommended the development of an adequate system for telehealth services and policies to help the vulnerable individuals in the future.

Introduction: Having a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) can impact the abilities of an individual in many areas of life, including the ability to live independently. The environment of an individual impacts their day-to-day life throughout their lifespan. To improve supported housing experiences, it is important to map the evidence, especially relating to quality and satisfaction with the environment (as defined by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework). This has been exacerbated by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, therefore more insight is needed in measuring this. Objective and methods: This scoping review searched 5 health and social science databases with the objective to identify and examine the outcome measures that integrate aspects of the environment that examine supported housing in individuals with NDD. Results and discussion: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. We found that most measures targeted the satisfaction of individuals about their environment, with the ICF Support and Relationships factor of the environment assessed most. Measures were most often completed by a proxy through an interview. This work enhances our understanding of aspects of the environments of supported housing that are currently measured, laying an essential base for future research to improve the lives of individuals with NDDs.

During the diagnostic evaluation period for autism or intellectual disability (ID), families of young children are at risk for poor adjustment. The present study aimed to document family quality of life (FQOL), along with associated risk and protective factors, during this critical step of families' services trajectory. FQOL was measured in a large sample of families of children recently diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder and examined in relation to the type of services received, children's clinical profile, and family variables. FQOL was related to types of services, children's challenging behavior, parenting stress, and several aspects of family composition and status. These findings highlight a need for mental health support for parents, coaching interventions for challenging behaviors, and family-centered supports.

Upon learning that their child has a neurodevelopmental disorder, families enter a different process and can experience problems related to their child's behavior management. This study was designed in response to a request from mothers with children diagnosed with various neurodevelopmental disorders. The study used a multi-level case study, one of the qualitative research designs. A behavior support plan (BSP) was created to address the three mothers' needs concerning the negative behaviors they observed in their children. The BSP is a 12-session program based on applied behavior analysis (ABA). This program was shaped by collecting data through semi-structured interviews, field notes, and the researcher's diary before the family education. It was determined whether the program was effective by continuing to collect data through the data collection tools in the middle and end of the BSP implementation. The results of the inductive analysis revealed that BSP reduced the problem behaviors in the children and ended the punishments given by the mothers and that they felt better via this education. In general, it is recommended to train applied behavior analysts who are going to provide individual family education based on ABA, to make family education a country policy, and to increase such education provided to families both at schools and individually.

The Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS), PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS: DM) and PEDS tools (i.e., the PEDS and PEDS:DM combined for use) are parent-reported screening tools frequently used to identify young children requiring early intervention. An ideal screening tool for all contexts would be brief, inexpensive with appropriate test items and good psychometric properties. A scoping review was conducted to review studies that used the PEDS, PEDS:DM, and PEDS tools to screen for the need for further referrals and evaluation through parent report. Thirty articles, ranging from 2003 to 2020, conducted in high-income countries (HICs) and lower-middle income countries (LMICs), were included from the 1,468 records identified. Studies conducted in HICs (n = 19) included screening of special population groups and comparing validated tools. LMIC studies (n = 11) focused on translations, combination of the PEDS tools, validations of tools, and use of an app-based tool (mHealth). High referral rates were obtained with PEDS (23-41%) and PEDS:DM (12-54%) in LMICs where at-risk populations are more prevalent and cultural differences may affect tool validity. A global dearth of research on PEDS:DM and PEDS tools exist; the review highlights factors that influence the validity and impact widespread use of the screening measures, especially in diverse populations and LMICs.

As school authorities strive toward inclusive models of education for children with neurodevelopmental delay and disability (NDD), many kindergarten curricula have mandated pedagogy centered on learning through play. Children with NDD tend to experience greater social isolation and lower rates of social play engagement compared to typically developing peers. Consequently, issues related to social participation and inclusion may be particularly salient in play-based kindergarten classrooms. The current qualitative study explored how eight kindergarten teachers in Ontario, Canada conceptualized and promoted inclusion in play for children with NDD. Classroom observation and teacher interviews were conducted with a focus on the teacher's role in play. Teachers endorsed the use of several indirect (i.e., environmental) strategies to promote social participation, alongside proactive teacher support in play. Teachers who shared multiple aspects of an interventionist viewpoint toward disability, and identified the social benefits of inclusion in play for children with NDD, tended to provide more proactive support to all children in play. Teachers also provided reactive support in play to address emerging social conflict. Implications for fostering the meaningful inclusion of children with NDD in play-based learning are discussed.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is manifested by abnormal cell numbers and patches of gene expression disruption in higher-order brain regions. Here, we investigated whether layer-specific changes in glia/neuron ratios (GNR) characterize patches in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DL-PFC) of children with ASD. We analyzed high-resolution digital images of postmortem human brains from 11 ASD and 11 non-ASD children obtained from the Autism Study of the Allen Human Brain Atlas. We found the GNR is overall reduced in the ASD DL-PFC. Moreover, layers II-III belonging to patches presented a lower GNR in comparison with layers V-VI. We here provide a new insight into how brain cells are arranged within patches that contributes to elucidate how neurodevelopmental programs are altered in ASD.

Sleep problems are prevalent among autistic children and children with Rare Genetic Neurodevelopmental Disorders (RGND). Behavioral interventions are commonly used to treat sleep problems, with most involving extinction. While effective, the occurrence of a response burst (i.e., temporary worsening of the behavior) can result in a temporary increase in parent and child distress, and negatively affect treatment adherence. Thus, it is important to develop less restrictive treatment options. This study used a single case multiple baseline design to investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of less restrictive behavioral interventions (i.e., specifically excluding extinction) for sleep problems in ten autistic children and children with RGND (M = 7.3 years). Results demonstrated a reduction in sleep disturbance including unwanted bed-sharing, night wakings and sleep onset delay for 3/3, 5/5 and 6/7 children respectively, which were maintained at follow-up. Interventions were rated favorably by parents. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham ADHD Rating Scale (SNAP-IV) in a sample of South African children with neurodevelopmental disorders (n = 201), primarily Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to inspect the two-factor structure of the SNAP-IV. We also calculated ordinal coefficient alpha to estimate internal consistency. Fit statistics for the two-factor model approached acceptable levels. The model fit improved slightly after removing an item related to spoken language. The subscales had acceptable internal consistencies. Findings partially support the use of the SNAP-IV in this group of children. However, there are limitations to its performance in this population likely related to the presence of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Caregivers of a child with a neurodevelopmental disability are more vulnerable to mental health difficulties. These difficulties are influenced by the child's challenging behaviours, and the caregiver's coping strategies; factors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. An online mixed methods survey was conducted on caregivers of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities (n = 43) and children who are typically developing (n = 67). The results showed that presence of challenging behaviours related to neurodevelopmental disability, and caregiver coping strategies predicted caregiver psychological distress during lockdown. Themes that emerged included 'confusing messages and guidance', 'loss of freedom' and 'unsupported and forgotten'. The results demonstrate the pressing need for the implementation of appropriate support to protect the mental health of caregivers across the UK.

Background: To advance early identification efforts, we must detect and characterize neurodevelopmental sequelae of risk among population-based samples early in development. However, variability across the typical-to-atypical continuum and heterogeneity within and across early emerging psychiatric/neurodevelopmental disorders represent fundamental challenges to overcome. Identifying multidimensionally determined profiles of risk, agnostic to DSM categories, via data-driven computational approaches represents an avenue to improve early identification of risk. Methods: Factor mixture modeling (FMM) was used to identify subgroups and characterize phenotypic risk profiles, derived from multiple parent-report measures of typical and atypical behaviors common to autism spectrum disorder, in a community-based sample of 17- to 25-month-old toddlers (n = 1,570). To examine the utility of risk profile classification, a subsample of toddlers (n = 107) was assessed on a distal, independent outcome examining internalizing, externalizing, and dysregulation at approximately 30 months. Results: FMM results identified five asymmetrically sized subgroups. The putative high- and moderate-risk groups comprised 6% of the sample. Followup analyses corroborated the utility of the risk profile classification; the high-, moderate-, and low-risk groups were differentially stratified (i.e., HR > moderate-risk > LR) on outcome measures and comparison of high- and low-risk groups revealed large effect sizes for internalizing (d = 0.83), externalizing (d = 1.39), and dysregulation (d = 1.19). Conclusions: This data-driven approach yielded five subgroups of toddlers, the utility of which was corroborated by later outcomes. Data-driven approaches, leveraging multiple developmentally appropriate dimensional RDoC constructs, hold promise for future efforts aimed toward early identification of at-risk-phenotypes for a variety of early emerging neurodevelopmental disorders.