Understanding the relationship between child maltreatment and language competence: An evidential interviewing perspective. This research aims to develop the first comprehensive and controlled examination of the oral language profiles of maltreated children and how these impact performance in an investigative interview paradigm. This examination is essential for developing strategies for improving the elicitation of evidence from child abuse witnesses. By improving child witness evidence, this re ....Understanding the relationship between child maltreatment and language competence: An evidential interviewing perspective. This research aims to develop the first comprehensive and controlled examination of the oral language profiles of maltreated children and how these impact performance in an investigative interview paradigm. This examination is essential for developing strategies for improving the elicitation of evidence from child abuse witnesses. By improving child witness evidence, this research will improve the prosecution and conviction rates of child abuse offences, which will have a deterrent effect on potential offenders. Finally, this research will reduce the stress of witnesses involved in the legal process and provide better screening of children in need of specialised language intervention.Read moreRead less
A randomised controlled trial assessing the effects of a school-based sleep intervention in Year 6 and 7 students. Inadequate sleep is associated with a wide range of health problems in children, including obesity and poor performance at school. Children are sleeping less than ever before, and there is an increasing pattern of “yo yo sleeping” (sleep deprivation on school days followed by catch up sleeps on weekends). This study will trial a school-based program designed to improve the sleeping ....A randomised controlled trial assessing the effects of a school-based sleep intervention in Year 6 and 7 students. Inadequate sleep is associated with a wide range of health problems in children, including obesity and poor performance at school. Children are sleeping less than ever before, and there is an increasing pattern of “yo yo sleeping” (sleep deprivation on school days followed by catch up sleeps on weekends). This study will trial a school-based program designed to improve the sleeping habits of children. Better sleep is expected to result in improved alertness, better life satisfaction, and improved weight status.Read moreRead less
Executive functioning, gender, age and medication as predictors of developmental well-being among students with ADHD. This study constructs social-cognitive phenotypes of ADHD, evaluates mental health and investigates ADHD student perceptions of classroom environment and achievement in science as functions of executive functioning, gender, age and medication. The effect of standard psychostimulant intervention and a novel nonpsychostimulant option on executive function, developmental and educati ....Executive functioning, gender, age and medication as predictors of developmental well-being among students with ADHD. This study constructs social-cognitive phenotypes of ADHD, evaluates mental health and investigates ADHD student perceptions of classroom environment and achievement in science as functions of executive functioning, gender, age and medication. The effect of standard psychostimulant intervention and a novel nonpsychostimulant option on executive function, developmental and educational outcomes will be investigated. The expected outcomes will inform more effective teacher professional development, and reduce school problems associated with psychostimulant medication and its illicit distribution by students. The linkage of health and education partners meets a nationally identified need for more effective collaboration to improve education outcomes for ADHD students.Read moreRead less
Disinhibition in Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A behavioural and psychophysiological investigation. This project will provide much-needed information about optimal workload rates and effort levels, and the influence of external expectations, for those with ADHD, with immediate implications in remediation and educational settings. It will inform subsequent applied research, leading to better diagnosis and treatment, resulting in better societal outcomes for those with ADHD. Long-term ....Disinhibition in Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A behavioural and psychophysiological investigation. This project will provide much-needed information about optimal workload rates and effort levels, and the influence of external expectations, for those with ADHD, with immediate implications in remediation and educational settings. It will inform subsequent applied research, leading to better diagnosis and treatment, resulting in better societal outcomes for those with ADHD. Long-term outcomes may reduce the significant financial burden placed on families and the Australian government and taxpayer by the increased use of hospital services and higher medical costs for children with ADHD, significantly increasing the likelihood of a healthy start to life for those directly, and indirectly, effected.Read moreRead less
Knowing in advance: Effective strategies for preparing young children for novel experiences. To optimise cognitive and emotional development, it is critical to identify the influences on children's lives. How parent-child conversations about the past shape development is well understood, but scant research has examined how adult-child preparatory discussions influence children's experience and memory of future events. Our research addresses this gap. It has important implications in medical, edu ....Knowing in advance: Effective strategies for preparing young children for novel experiences. To optimise cognitive and emotional development, it is critical to identify the influences on children's lives. How parent-child conversations about the past shape development is well understood, but scant research has examined how adult-child preparatory discussions influence children's experience and memory of future events. Our research addresses this gap. It has important implications in medical, educational, and other contexts in which it is vital to ensure that information given in advance increases children's understanding of an experience. More generally, in specifying optimal parent-child interactions, the findings are also relevant to interventions aiming to enhance psychological and emotional resilience in the early years. Read moreRead less
The development of feedforward mechanisms of motor control: The role of efference copy in motor skill development. Our work provides preliminary evidence that deficits in efference copy (or feedforward planning) underlie impaired motor skill development in children (or Developmental Coordination Disorder - DCD). The aim of this project is to advance our understanding of normal and abnormal motor development by examining this hypothesis in a large sample, longitudinally. We will examine variati ....The development of feedforward mechanisms of motor control: The role of efference copy in motor skill development. Our work provides preliminary evidence that deficits in efference copy (or feedforward planning) underlie impaired motor skill development in children (or Developmental Coordination Disorder - DCD). The aim of this project is to advance our understanding of normal and abnormal motor development by examining this hypothesis in a large sample, longitudinally. We will examine variations in the presentation of clumsiness, cognitive deficit(s) in different subtypes, and changes in presentation with age. We predict that deficits in efference copy will explain departures from normal motor skill development in most children. We also predict that imagery training will ameliorate the deficit.Read moreRead less
Development of rapid, online motor control in children. Movement is the primary means by which young children develop understanding of the world. The studies described in this project will provide important insights into the development of movement skill in children and the underlying causes of motor impairment. In particular we aim to understand how thought and action are coordinated in children, supporting the ability to perform more efficient movements. Hence, our work will inform the traini ....Development of rapid, online motor control in children. Movement is the primary means by which young children develop understanding of the world. The studies described in this project will provide important insights into the development of movement skill in children and the underlying causes of motor impairment. In particular we aim to understand how thought and action are coordinated in children, supporting the ability to perform more efficient movements. Hence, our work will inform the training and practice of movement educators and physical therapists, transcending some of the myths of clinical theory. This work will have important implications for identifying and training children at risk for motor impairment. Read moreRead less