Summary of the impact

Autism or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition that affects around 700,000 people in the UK. Until recently knowledge of autism prevalence was mainly restricted to children, but in 2007 the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) included for the first time a measure of ASD. Professor Traolach (Terry) Brugha and his group developed an innovative methodology to measure the prevalence of autism in adults — previously not thought possible — and found it to be just over 1% of the population studied. The evidence collated by the Social and Epidemiological Psychiatry group has led to a range of actions across central and local government as well as the charitable sector, and since 2010, has transformed diagnostic and support services. It has also improved professional training, changed attitudes across society and reduced the isolation and exclusion that adults with autism often face.

Summary of the impact

Dr Rosa Hoekstra engages in research on the biological, cultural and cognitive aspects of autism, and in communicating the findings of these studies to a wider audience. Her involvement in developing a rapid quantitative instrument of autistic traits has aided diagnostic practice. Through The Open University's OpenLearn website and open educational resources associated with the Health Education And Training (HEAT) programme, Hoekstra contributes to raising autism awareness both in the UK and abroad.

Summary of the impact

The AHRC-funded project `Imagining Autism' has had a significant, and in some cases life-changing, impact on the participants and their families, as well as on educational psychologists, charities and experts working in the fields of autism and cognitive functioning. The impacts are two-fold:

1. Significant and lasting behavioural changes in the 22 participating autistic children;
2. Revaluation of drama and play-based methods to promote well-being in autistic children, specifically by: educational psychologists and teaching staff at Helen Allison School; the Director of Research at the National Autistic Society; and the Consultant Community Paediatrician at the Children's Assessment Centre, Kent and Canterbury Hospital, along with 15-20 of her staff.

The project has challenged stereotypes and departed from skills-based interventions (which focus narrowly on specific cognitive or social skills, such as counting, or dressing) prevalent in education and health settings, leading to new understandings of the capabilities of a marginalised group. It has demonstrated its capacity to transform lives.

Summary of the impact

In 1999 Kerstin Dautenhahn proposed a new multidisciplinary research direction encompassing robotics, psychology, assistive technology, interaction design, human-robot interaction and autism therapy. In 2005 she began developing the humanoid robot Kaspar, whose evaluations suggested therapeutic suitability for children with autism. Ongoing research a) led to the development of appropriate human-robot interaction technology, interaction scenarios and methodological approaches b) stimulated national and international public discourse on robot-assisted therapy for children with autism; and c) informed practitioners' views on using robot technology in autism therapy. A former doctoral student also exploited her Hertfordshire training via an international robotics start-up marketing toys for children with autism.

Summary of the impact

The Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) champions the development and implementation of enhanced autism provision for children, young people and adults across England through influencing professional standards and practice. Key examples of the Centre's application of its research to enhance professional practice include:

• ACER led the development of the Early Years, Primary and Secondary resource content for the Inclusion Development Programmes (IDP)
• In collaboration with the Department for Education (DfE), the Autism Education Trust (AET) and local authority practitioners, ACER produced a set of National Autism Standards and Professional Competency Framework. As part of this programme, ACER also developed and delivered 3 tiers of related training to over 13,000 school staff by July 2013
• Contributing to raised awareness of the importance of autism training in Schools at a national level (contribution publically acknowledged by Sarah Teather MP and Birmingham Local Authority).

Summary of the impact

We addressed a serious mismatch between increasing rates of autism diagnosis across Europe and the shortage of professionals skilled in effective treatment provided by Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA; www.bacb.com). A parent-lead charity (PEAT) was established in N. Ireland (www.peatni.org); teams from 7 European countries adapted our multimedia training resources (www.stamppp.com); Masters and Certificate level courses were established. Government documents informing policy in Scotland and New Zealand were corrected. Schools and charities in the Republic of Ireland, Poland, and Portugal, and other Masters level courses subsequently appeared in Ireland (http://tinyurl.com/cxpo66m). Simple Steps NI Ltd. was established involving PEAT and Manleys (http://www.manleys.co.uk).

Summary of the impact

The Adult Developmental coordination disorder Checklist (ADC) is the first screening tool developed specifically to identify the difficulties experienced by adults with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).

DCD was previously regarded as a childhood disorder. However, increasing evidence suggests that the motor difficulties experienced persist into adulthood. Previously, little information was being collected about how these difficulties present in adulthood or their impact on everyday living and there was no standardised screening tools for assessing the level of functional impairment.

The key impact of the ADC is that it is currently being used clinically nationally and internationally to clarify target areas for support.

Summary of the impact

Four staff align with impact in the interdisciplinary field of Childhood Studies; Broadhead, Brock, Moss and Potter. Their research examines different, related aspects of early to late childhood. The impact is evident in several domains. Research has contributed to policy and professional development in relation to the early years and autistic spectrum disorders. It has enhanced pedagogies in schools concerning play and children's social participation. It has improved communication with children through the development of play approaches and approaches for those children diagnosed on the autistic spectrum. It has contributed to childhood workforce skill enhancement in relation to the early years and men's professional and familial involvement with children. This research has also informed public awareness of children's perspectives and experiences through the use of media and other forms of public engagement.

Summary of the impact

Memory research in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) undertaken at City University London over the past two decades shows that individuals with ASD experience great difficulty in spontaneously recalling past events without retrieval support. This work has been extended recently to show that a widely-used forensic interviewing technique (the Cognitive Interview) is not effective in improving the eyewitness accounts of adults with ASD. The key impact from this research has arisen from continuing knowledge transfer to Police forces and the Ministry of Justice with the aim of amending good practice guidelines for interviewing eyewitnesses with ASD. This is being achieved through a series of workshops and training activities, which to date have reached around 5000 police officers who are working on the ground.

Summary of the impact

Professor Stuart Murray's research on the cultural narratives used to represent autism has influenced and inflected different areas and beneficiaries, from public health providers to arts companies. This case study describes how his research in particular:

1. Informed and shaped service provision, diagnosis, understanding and awareness of adult autism in Leeds through interaction with the NHS autism diagnosis service;
2. Informed and stimulated public discussions of autism nationally;
3. Inspired and shaped new approaches by Opera North to the artistic representation of autism.