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Research

Characterizing restricted and unusual interests in autistic youth

A broad range of interests characterized by unusual content and/or intensity, labeled as circumscribed interests are a core diagnostic feature of autism. Recent evidence suggests that a distinction can be drawn between interests that, although characterized by unusually high intensity and/or inflexibility, are otherwise common in terms of their content (e.g., an interest in movies or animals), labeled as restricted interests and interests that are generally not salient outside of autism (e.g., an interest in traffic lights or categorization), labeled as unusual interests.

Research

Profiles of circumscribed interests in autistic youth

Circumscribed interests encompass a range of different interests and related behaviors that can be characterized by either a high intensity but otherwise usual topic [referred to as restricted interests] or by a focus on topics that are not salient outside of autism [referred to as unusual interests].

News & Events

Researcher elected fellow of prestigious international autism research society

The Kids Research Institute Australia autism researcher Professor Andrew Whitehouse has been inducted as a Fellow to the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR),  making him just the fourth Australian to be bestowed the honour.

News & Events

Therapy with babies boosts social development

A child-led therapy that supports the social development of babies showing early signs of autism has found a significant reduction in social communication difficulties in babies who received the therapy, according to new research led by CliniKids at The Kids Research Institute Australia.

People

Dr Mei'en Lim

Clinical Lead, Psychology

Speech Pathology

Find out more about Speech Pathology services at CliniKids.

Cognitive assessments

A cognitive assessment is a valuable tool to better understand how a child thinks, learns, and processes information.

Parent information sessions

CliniKids runs a range of information sessions for parents and caregivers.

Telehealth

Telehealth service delivery is used extensively in allied health to provide services to individuals who are not able to attend therapy sessions face to face.

Current projects

Our families have the opportunity to be involved in autism research conducted at CliniKids.