Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile

Purpose Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a range of challenges which impact their daily functioning and that of their family. NDDs are often associated with significant mental health prob...

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Main Authors: Mohan Karunanithi, Enda M Byrne, Naomi R Wray, Honey Heussler, Vanessa E Cobham, Nisreen Aouira, Anjali K Henders, Christel M Middeldorp, Sophie Howarth, Madhura Bhadravathi Lokeshappa, Leanne M Wallace, Daniel P Sullivan, Leanne Payne, Dana E Galligan, Laura Ziser, Lorelle Nunn, Isabella Andersen, Akina Kato, Cassandra Mingin, Sally O’Scanaill, Ayu Paramecwari, Matthew R Sanders
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e091676.full
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author Mohan Karunanithi
Enda M Byrne
Naomi R Wray
Honey Heussler
Vanessa E Cobham
Nisreen Aouira
Anjali K Henders
Christel M Middeldorp
Sophie Howarth
Madhura Bhadravathi Lokeshappa
Leanne M Wallace
Daniel P Sullivan
Leanne Payne
Dana E Galligan
Laura Ziser
Lorelle Nunn
Isabella Andersen
Akina Kato
Cassandra Mingin
Sally O’Scanaill
Ayu Paramecwari
Matthew R Sanders
author_facet Mohan Karunanithi
Enda M Byrne
Naomi R Wray
Honey Heussler
Vanessa E Cobham
Nisreen Aouira
Anjali K Henders
Christel M Middeldorp
Sophie Howarth
Madhura Bhadravathi Lokeshappa
Leanne M Wallace
Daniel P Sullivan
Leanne Payne
Dana E Galligan
Laura Ziser
Lorelle Nunn
Isabella Andersen
Akina Kato
Cassandra Mingin
Sally O’Scanaill
Ayu Paramecwari
Matthew R Sanders
author_sort Mohan Karunanithi
collection DOAJ
description Purpose Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a range of challenges which impact their daily functioning and that of their family. NDDs are often associated with significant mental health problems which can influence the course. The Improving Outcomes in Mental Health cohort described in this article aims to investigate the risk factors for the persistence and severity of mental health problems in children with NDDs.Participants A total of 1084 families (primary caregivers and children) were recruited from the Child Development Program at the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service in Brisbane, Australia. 1471 caregivers (female n=1036) participated in the study, which included 382 families with 2 or more caregivers participating. The children were predominantly male (71%), with the average age of all children 5.6 years.Findings to date The most prevalent child clinical diagnoses were ASD and ADHD, with half of children receiving more than one diagnosis. Caregiver reports indicated that children were experiencing clinical levels of depression (30.8%) and anxiety (27.6%). Approximately 39% of caregivers scored in the subclinical or clinical range for at least one Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders measure, the majority reporting depressive problems.Future plans Future plans for this data set include analysis of environmental variables such as family structure, income, school achievements and leisure activities as risk factors for the persistence of mental health problems in children with NDDs. Genetic data will be used to provide insights into the heritability of mental illness and improve prediction.
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spelling doaj-art-ea4047c14d4b4145a06466e508e1a29f2025-08-20T02:56:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-03-0115310.1136/bmjopen-2024-091676Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profileMohan Karunanithi0Enda M Byrne1Naomi R Wray2Honey Heussler3Vanessa E Cobham4Nisreen Aouira5Anjali K Henders6Christel M Middeldorp7Sophie Howarth8Madhura Bhadravathi Lokeshappa9Leanne M Wallace10Daniel P Sullivan11Leanne Payne12Dana E Galligan13Laura Ziser14Lorelle Nunn15Isabella Andersen16Akina Kato17Cassandra Mingin18Sally O’Scanaill19Ayu Paramecwari20Matthew R Sanders21Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia2 The University of Queensland Child Health Research Centre, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia6 The University of Queensland Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Saint Lucia, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaSchool of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaLevvel, Academic Center for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild and Youth Mental Health Service, Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaInstitute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaThe University of Queensland Parenting and Family Support Centre, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaPurpose Children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a range of challenges which impact their daily functioning and that of their family. NDDs are often associated with significant mental health problems which can influence the course. The Improving Outcomes in Mental Health cohort described in this article aims to investigate the risk factors for the persistence and severity of mental health problems in children with NDDs.Participants A total of 1084 families (primary caregivers and children) were recruited from the Child Development Program at the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service in Brisbane, Australia. 1471 caregivers (female n=1036) participated in the study, which included 382 families with 2 or more caregivers participating. The children were predominantly male (71%), with the average age of all children 5.6 years.Findings to date The most prevalent child clinical diagnoses were ASD and ADHD, with half of children receiving more than one diagnosis. Caregiver reports indicated that children were experiencing clinical levels of depression (30.8%) and anxiety (27.6%). Approximately 39% of caregivers scored in the subclinical or clinical range for at least one Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders measure, the majority reporting depressive problems.Future plans Future plans for this data set include analysis of environmental variables such as family structure, income, school achievements and leisure activities as risk factors for the persistence of mental health problems in children with NDDs. Genetic data will be used to provide insights into the heritability of mental illness and improve prediction.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e091676.full
spellingShingle Mohan Karunanithi
Enda M Byrne
Naomi R Wray
Honey Heussler
Vanessa E Cobham
Nisreen Aouira
Anjali K Henders
Christel M Middeldorp
Sophie Howarth
Madhura Bhadravathi Lokeshappa
Leanne M Wallace
Daniel P Sullivan
Leanne Payne
Dana E Galligan
Laura Ziser
Lorelle Nunn
Isabella Andersen
Akina Kato
Cassandra Mingin
Sally O’Scanaill
Ayu Paramecwari
Matthew R Sanders
Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile
BMJ Open
title Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile
title_full Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile
title_fullStr Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile
title_full_unstemmed Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile
title_short Improving Outcomes in Mental Health (IOMH)—an Australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems: cohort profile
title_sort improving outcomes in mental health iomh an australian longitudinal clinical study of families with children with neurodevelopmental problems cohort profile
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e091676.full
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