Parent-child interaction trajectories among infants showing early signs of autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heritable neurodevelopmental disorder and one of the most impactful in childhood in terms of prevalence, morbidity, impact on family, and cost to society. Impairments in social interaction and communication are core to ASD and are associated with future social and educational outcomes and symptom severity. ASD differences are likely to emerge from a complex interaction between neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities and the child’s environment. 

In neurotypical development, parents and young children interact with one another in a way that has bi-directional effects on each partner, and parental sensitivity and more synchronous interactions have long been understood to promote social and communicative development. When reciprocal interaction is disrupted, as is sometimes seen in normative populations and parents of children with behavioural atypicality, the course of infant social development may be altered, and the underlying neurodevelopmental processes that depend on early social experience may be affected. In the context of neurodevelopmental vulnerability such as emerging ASD, parent-infant interaction qualities seem to be affected (Wan et al., 2012, 2013, 2019) and so altering such behavioural patterns may be pivotal for optimising infant social development.

To date, we have run two randomised controlled trials testing a parent-mediated video-aided intervention with parents and their infants who are at elevated likelihood of ASD (EL infants) as defined by early signs and symptoms (AICES; Whitehouse et al., 2019, under review) or by familial risk (iBASIS; Green et al., 2015, 2017). Both trials recruited EL infants in the latter part of the first year of life, much earlier than when ASD is diagnosable, and evaluated qualities of parent-child play interaction as a key secondary outcome (or proximal effect of the intervention), including long-term follow-up at 36 months when clinical diagnosis of ASD could be ascertained. The findings with respect to changes in parent-child interaction following this behavioural intervention were mixed across the two studies and may reflect heterogeneity between the two EL samples. While iBASIS showed positive changes in parent-infant interaction (e.g. reduced parent directiveness), AICES did not (Whitehouse et al., 2019). The follow-up findings, however, are promising, with a lot of ‘hidden’ variability among the sample.

This PhD project will utilise data from AICES and focus on trying to better understand what factors led some parent-child pairs to improve in their interactions following the parent-mediated intervention programme and not others. As well as parent-child interaction data across 4 time points, a wide range of family, clinical and infant variables were collated across multiple time points, which will allow the student to consider multiple factors quantitatively. 

Entry Requirements

Candidates are expected to hold (or be about to obtain) a minimum upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology or a related area. Any of the following experience and skills would be advantageous: (1) Experience of observational research and/or working with infants or young children; (2) Research experience in the areas of parenting, neurodevelopment and/or mental health; (3) Skills and experience in using statistical methods with longitudinal data; (4) A methodical, analytical approach to understand behaviour and attention to detail.

For information on how to apply for this project, please visit the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Doctoral Academy website (https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/research/apply/). Informal enquiries may be made directly to the primary supervisor. On the online application form select PhD Psychology.

For international students we also offer a unique 4 year PhD programme that gives you the opportunity to undertake an accredited Teaching Certificate whilst carrying out an independent research project across a range of biological, medical and health sciences. For more information please visit www.internationalphd.manchester.ac.uk