Robins, Diana L PHD

Children with Down syndrome have challenges in cognitive, language, adaptive, and social domains, but there is limited research on comprehensive early intervention programs for this population. The current study will evaluate the results of intensive, manualized treatment using the Early Start Denver Model, which was created for children with autism, in a sample of young children with Down syndrome and an age-matched sample of children with autism spectrum disorder. This study also will investigate transdiagnostic predictors and mechanisms of response to treatment, using novel experimental measures including eye tracking paradigms measuring social cognition and social motivation, and ratings of parent-child social engagement.

Autistic persons experience health inequities throughout the life course, which result in preventable adverse outcomes disproportionally affecting minority and economically disadvantaged autistic individuals. The Public Health and Autism Science advancing Equitable Strategies across the life course (PHASES) Center uses an integrated public health research framework to characterize and mitigate health inequities in vulnerable subgroups on the autism spectrum.