Review of evolution of clinical, training and educational services and research program for autism spectrum disorders in Hong Kong

Evaluation on the effectiveness on the implementation of WHO caregiver skills training (CST) programme in Hong Kong: a randomised controlled trial protocol

INTRODUCTION

This protocol delineates the research design and analytical framework used to evaluate the effectiveness of the WHO-CST (CST, caregiver skills training) in Hong Kong. The WHO-CST aims to enhance the caregiver skills of parents of children with potential autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or developmental delays.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

In this study, 130 eligible caregiver-child dyads were recruited and randomly assigned to the experimental and wait-list-control groups. A randomised controlled trial design was adopted to compare the changes between the two groups regarding caregivers' skills, knowledge and practices when interacting with their children with impairments due to ASD. Assessments were conducted before, immediately after and 1 month after the completion of the WHO-CST programme. The primary measurement tool was the joint engagement rating inventory developed by WHO experts to gauge how parents engage their children. A 10-min video recording of their dyadic interaction and behaviours in a defined play setting was used for the measurement. A set of other measurements of caregivers' knowledge, confidence and experience of using the caregiving skills were also measured.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval was received from the Human Research Ethics Committee (EA1901033), The University of Hong Kong. The final findings of this study will be disseminated through public reports, peer-reviewed publication or at a conference launched for the WHO-CST programme.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ChiCTR2000034585.

Research on Outdoor Space Design Strategy of “SOS Children's Village” Based on the Psychology of Troubled Children

Despite significant interaction between children's psychology and space in welfare institutions, only a handful of empirical studies have focused on it to date. Through the investigation, analysis, and spatial classification of the psychological issues of troubled children in the SOS children's village community in Chengdu, we observed the records for 1 year and used the PHCSS-SD method innovatively to systematically and quantitatively analyze the psychology of troubled children and their perception of public space in the park. Based on the needs of hearing, vision, touch, interaction, and safety of children in distress, we selected nine evaluation factors, including daylighting, interesting pattern, participation, and touchability. Each factor was categorized into five evaluation scales for psychological measurement and analysis to provide a basis for the development of mental health and the optimization of the living environment of children in distress. Based on the SD broken line of public space, we analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of space and affirmed the crucial contributions made by the Chinese government to children's welfare. Overall, this study discusses the strategy of building outdoor public spaces in the SOS children's village community.

Use of dysmorphology for subgroup classification on autism spectrum disorder in Chinese children

Data from 1,261 Chinese Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) patients were evaluated and categorized into dysmorphic (10.79 %) and non-dysmorphic groups (89.21 %) upon physical examination by the presence of dysmorphic features. Abnormal MRI/CT result, IQ scores and epilepsy were significantly associated with the dysmorphic group of ASD children. However, gender, EEG abnormality and family history and recurrence of ASD were not found to be significantly different between group statuses. It is suggested that results collected from the Chinese population generally resembles that found in the Caucasians with ethnical differences still present. Current study supports the result shown in Miles' study (Miles et al. in Am J Med Genet 135A:171-180, 2005), in which heterogeneity subtypes of autism of different genetic origins which could be distinguished by presence of dysmorphic features on the patients.