The Effectiveness and Change Mechanisms of Mentalization Based Therapy for Children (MBT-C)
Mental DisorderChildThe main aim of the project is to investigate the effectiveness and change mechanisms of Mentalization Based Therapy for Children (MBT-C; Midgley et al., 2017). MBT-C is a transdiagnostic treatment for children aged between 5 to 12 years old with the main aim of increasing mentalization and restoring epistemic trust. Parallel parental work takes place to increase parental mentalization. This project will test the effectiveness of MBT-C in a parallel group single blind pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial (pRCT) conducted in Turkey in comparison to a parenting and social skills group. The sample will include 220 children between 5-12 years old with internalizing and externalizing and comorbid internalizing/externalizing problems and their parents. During the study, the patients will be randomized to two arms, and the treatment's effectiveness will be investigated both at short (8th and 12th weeks) and long terms (24th and 36th weeks) to also assess relapse prevention. The large sample size and the longitudinal evaluation of primary (decrease in problems), and secondary outcomes will enable the investigation of mediators and moderators. This project will also undertake a rigorous psychotherapy process study within the RCT, examining for the first time, for which children and under what circumstances MBT-C may be most effective, meaningfully linking process with outcome. For this purpose, patients' baseline characteristics, especially attachment security and mentalization deficits that may interact with treatment outcome (moderators) and different dimensions of mentalization that develop over the course of the treatment (change mechanisms/mediators) will be assessed.
Enhancing Behavior and Brain Response to Visual Targets Using a Computer Game
Neurodevelopmental DisordersParticipants will play a computer game that is controlled by their gaze patterns and designed to direct attention their attention to specific on-screen targets. Visual attention to targets will be rewarded. Both visual behavior and brain response will be recorded during game play. It is hypothesized that that, over the course of the game, relative to baseline, participants will show (a) increased looking to targets, (b) decreased response time to targets, and (c) enhanced, more efficient neural response to visual cues. It is hypothesized that clinical variability will associate with visual attention and brain response.
Genetic Inclusion by Virtual Evaluation
Birth DefectsMultiple Congenital Anomaly1 moreThis study aims to transform the current clinical practice paradigm by leveraging an internally designed web-based model of delivery of care called Consultagene to provide remote evaluation and genomic sequencing for improving genetic health of less resourced children with rare disorders living along the Texas-Mexico border.
Air Pollution and Development in the Boricua Youth Study
Pollution; ExposureNeurodevelopmental DisordersThis study seeks to understand the relationship between prenatal maternal air pollution exposure and offspring risk for ADHD and examine two potential -modifiable- mechanisms: prenatal maternal inflammation and offspring sleep problems. We will employ a longitudinal neuroimaging study design and leverage a well-characterized intergenerational cohort of Puerto Ricans to address prior literature's limitations. This will be the first study to use infant neuroimaging to disassociate the effects of prenatal pollution exposure from those of postnatal pollution exposure, adversity and disadvantage, and offspring genetic risk for ADHD.
A Trauma-Informed Sleep Intervention for Children in Foster Care
Sleep DisturbanceChild Development2 moreSleep disturbances are pervasive and impairing among children in foster care but not a single prevention or intervention program for this fragile group targets sleep health. Poor sleep undermines effective self-regulation and stable biological rhythms, amplifying the negative impacts of early adversity/trauma on immediate and long-term functioning. Consistent with evidence that optimizing sleep is critical for trauma recovery, the investigators will adapt cognitive-behavioral treatment for pediatric insomnia for children placed in foster care to evaluate child outcomes and target mechanism engagement and explore implementation barriers and supports.
Neuroimaging Ancillary Study
Iron Deficiency AnemiaIron Deficiency Anemia of Pregnancy4 moreAs a follow-up to the RAPIDIRON Trial (NCT05358509), and in combination with the RAPIDIRON-KIDS Study (NCT05504863), this study will involve infants of RAPIDIRON Trial participants recruited at one site in Karnataka and is designed to implement a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol and incorporate neuroimaging measures. Implementation of this study will promote an understanding of the effects on fetal and neonatal brain development, including iron deposition in brain tissues, when a woman is treated for iron deficiency anemia (IDA) by either (a) providing her oral iron tablets and instructions for use; or (b) administering a single-dose IV iron infusion for the treatment of IDA during pregnancy.
The Early Life Clinical Feature and Risk Factors Analysis in Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders...
Premature InfantThe study will be a 5-year retrospective and prospective case control study, included 650 participants, and participants will be divided into four groups.By this research the investigators will achieve several aims:(1) Through the cross-sectional analysis of this study, the investigators can understand the current prevalence of developmental disorders in Taiwan ,especially ADHD and ASD, and the ratio of male to female in school-age children. (2) Analysis of risk factors in preterm infants during pregnancy and infant, and construct the diagnostic predictive models. (3) By the cohort study of premature infants, to analyze early risk factors of premature children with neurological developmental disorders (such as ADHD), and develop the diagnostic predictive models and early interventional tools. (4) Using artificial intelligence and machine learning analysis to analyze the characteristics of preterm and development of diagnostic prediction model of premature infant or premature children combined ADHD. (5) The application of noninvasive physiological signal capture real-time analysis system in screening and evaluation of "premature infant and neurodevelopmental disorders".
Exposure to Plasticisers in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Preterm BirthPremature Birth7 moreNeonatal intensive care relies on indwelling plastic medical devices fundamental in respiratory support, intravenous catheterization, and nutrition. While being in a critical developmental period, constant exposure to these invasive medical devices puts premature neonates at risk of plasticizers' potential toxicity. Despite novel regulations and development of alternative plasticizers (AP), reference to guide manufacturers and an overview of the prevailing exposure levels to DEHP or alternatives in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are still missing. The three main objectives of this project are: (1) to assess current exposure to plasticizers in the NICU, (2) to identify the sources of exposure and (3) to study the resultant long-term health risk in premature neonates. These objectives are addressed in three work packages (WP). In work package 1, in vivo exposure of premature neonates to phthalates and alternative plasticizers is assessed by determining their metabolites in biological matrices (urine and hair). Work package 2 explores ex vivo leaching characteristics of different plasticizers from medical devices used in the NICU. Finally, Work package 3 studies the long-term neurocognitive and lung development in relation to plasticizer exposure in the NICU.
The Halland Obesity Municipal Effort for Children
Childhood ObesityPhysical Inactivity4 moreA retrospective study to investigate the method called The Halland Obesity Municipal Effort for children. All children participating in the intervention since the start of this specific method will be eligible for inclusion. The aims are to describe participants and the method-specific activities they are participating in, as well as the effect on their health and school grades.
Childhood Outcomes of Preterm Brain Abnormalities
Premature BirthNeurodevelopmental Disorders2 morePrematurely born children are at higher risk of cognitive impairments and behavioral disorders than full-term children. There is growing evidence of significant volumetric and shape abnormalities in subcortical structures of premature neonates, which may be associated to negative long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. The general objective is to look directly at the long-term neurodevelopmental implications of these neonatal subcortical structures abnormalities. Investigators propose to develop biomarkers of prematurity by comparing the morphological and diffusion properties of subcortical structures between preterm, with and without associated brain injuries, and full-term neonates using brain MRI. By combining subcortical morphological and diffusion properties, investigators hypothesize to be able to: (1) delineate specific correlative relationships between structures regionally and differentially affected by normal maturation and different patterns of white matter injury, and (2) improve the specificity of neuroimaging to predict neurodevelopmental outcomes earlier. The specific aims and general methodology are: 1) Build a new toolbox for neonatal subcortical structures analyses that combine a group lasso-based analysis of significant regions of shape changes, a structural correlation network analysis, a neonatal tractography, and tensor-based analysis on tracts; 2) Ascertain biomarkers of prematurity in neonates with different patterns of abnormalities using correlational and connectivity analysis within and between structures features; 3) Assess the predictive potential of subcortical imaging on neurodevelopmental outcomes by correlating neonatal imaging results with long-term neurodevelopmental scores at 9 and 18 months, and 6-8 years, follow-up. In each of these aims, investigators will use advanced neuroimaging analysis developed by their group and collaborator, including multivariate tensor-based morphometry and multivariate tract-based analysis. This application will provide the first complete subcortical network analysis in both term and preterm neonates. In the first study of its kind for prematurity, investigators will use sparse and multi-task learning to determine which of the biomarkers of prematurity at birth are the best predictors of long-term outcome. Once implemented, these methods will be available to compare subcortical structures for other pathologies in newborns and children.