Current Research

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of the Early Start Denver Model intervention with the commonly used intervention approaches available in the Sacramento area. Participants will complete clinical assessments and then be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. For children in the Community Care group, four assessments, parent education, and follow along will be provided for approximately 2 years. All the assessment procedures will be carried out for research, at no cost to families. The community treatment involves standard care already available in the community. For children randomized into the Early Start Denver Model intervention, all of the procedures, both assessments and treatment, will be carried out for research. These families will be in the study for approximately 28 months and receive intensive 1:1 home based services for 20 hours per week. Criteria: Participants are 12-24 months old who are showing signs of autism and live within 30 minutes of Sacramento. [Sign Up]

This project is funded by Autism Speaks and the National Institutes of Mental Health, and National Institute of Child Health and Development and is one of the Autism Centers of Excellence: ACE. Linked projects are also ongoing at University of Washington and University of Michigan.

This goal of this project is to increase the use of empirically supported educational/intervention practices for children and youth with autism in schools and early intervention programs. To accomplish this, the project provides two years of training and support to state multidisciplinary teams who will take on a trainer of trainers role within their state to deliver a three phase training package to school and early intervention professionals. This project is part of a multisite project based at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Dr. Sam Odom, Principal Investigator. Dr. Rogers is the P.I at the MIND Institute. Western states that are interested in becoming involved should contact Jennifer Bogin, M.S., project coordinator, at 916-703-0402; Jennifer.Bogin@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu or visit the website [here].

The goal of the Infant Sibling study is to understand the very earliest manifestations of autism in infancy. We use prospective methods to track the onset of symptoms and better understand underlying mechanisms that might put infants at risk of developing autism. In the Infant Sibling study, 200 infants with either an older sibling with autism or an older sibling who is developing typically are followed from shortly after birth, through the window of autism risk, to age 3. We use eye-tracking methods to study visual attention and face processing. We have developed behavioral probes to study early emotional development, imitation, parent-child interactions, communication, social interest, and knowledge of objects. At age 3, we make preliminary diagnostic determinations (autism, ASD, speech-language delay, other concerns, or no concerns). We then examine how later diagnostic outcomes are related to performance on our experimental measures at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, with the eventual goal of developing better methods for early detection of autism.

Consistent with the interest of the Early Developmental Studies Lab in early signs of autism is the Regression study. Here we explore different patterns of symptom onset using retrospective methods, including parent report and analysis of home videos collected during infancy. We are particularly interested in how parent report of early symptoms mirrors behaviors evident on video. We are also exploring whether early signs of an impending regression may be evident on video prior to the developmental losses.