Dr Jane Waite
Reader in Psychology Aston University
- Birmingham
Dr Waite focuses on understanding mental health difficulties in children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Media
Social
Biography
She is Co-Director of the Cerebra Network for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, a national collaboration between leading UK universities that brings together researchers, clinicians and families to address key challenges affecting individuals with complex neurodevelopmental conditions. The Network’s research focuses on areas central to quality of life, including mental health, autism profiles, behaviours that challenge, pain and sleep.
Dr Waite’s research programme aims to improve the identification and treatment of mental health difficulties in people with intellectual disability. Her team develops clinical assessment tools and psychologically informed interventions designed specifically for individuals who use few or no words, with a strong focus on translating research into practical approaches that can support families and clinical services.
She works closely with families, clinicians and charities across the UK to ensure research findings are accessible and have real-world impact. She also leads the development of online resources that translate research for families of individuals with rare genetic syndromes. Alongside her research leadership, Dr Waite is committed to supporting the next generation of researchers and clinicians working in intellectual disability.
Areas of Expertise
Education
University of Birmingham
PhD
2012
Media Appearances
Reducing anxiety in autistic children with intellectual disabilities
Autistica
2019-01-04
Jane Waite and her team are working with families and doctors to develop a parent-led intervention for anxiety for autistic children who also have an intellectual disability. The intervention will include well evidenced anxiety-reduction strategies adapted for autistic individuals and behavioural strategies that have been proven to work with autistic children who speak few or no words.
Repetitive Behaviour in Prader-Willi Syndrome
Further Inform Neurogenetic Disorders online
2015-03-17
Stereotyped behaviours are defined as repetitive or ritualistic movement, posture, or vocalisations. The behaviours can often appear to be apparently meaningless.
Articles
Distress and challenging behavior in people with profound or severe intellectual disability and complex needs: Assessment of causes and evaluation of intervention outcomes
international Review of Research in Developmental Disabilities2022
Previously, we have proposed that there are nine domains that warrant assessment when intervening to decrease challenging behavior and\or increase well-being in people with profound or severe intellectual disability and complex needs. These domains are: pain and discomfort, sensory sensitivity, anxiety and low mood, sleep, emotional dysregulation, cognitive difference, learned or functional behaviors, and expressive communication. In this article we: (1) identify specific challenging behaviors that might be influenced by these domains, (2) describe the relationship between these domains and the specified challenging behaviors, (3) identify assessments for each domain and (4) describe interactions between the domains. Our aim in this article is to provide practitioners with a framework for assessment and to stimulate debate about the domains that are demonstrably important when considering challenging behavior and well-being in people with profound or severe intellectual disability and complex needs.
A parent-led intervention to reduce anxiety in autistic children with a severe to profound intellectual disability: protocol for the LADDERS pilot feasibility trial
Preprint2022
Background
There is a need for evidence-based approaches to reduce anxiety experienced by autistic children with severe to profound intellectual disability (ID). Avoidance of anxiety triggers, as a response to pronounced anxiety, occurs irrespective of age, background and neurodiversity. When avoidance is unhelpful, evidence-based anxiety reduction approaches aim to reduce it gradually (graded exposure), subsequently reducing anxiety. Combining graded exposure with emotional regulation techniques may be effective and acceptable for autistic children with severe to profound ID, if sensitive to needs and characteristics of autistic children. We have developed a 16-week, parent-led intervention (LADDERS) to reduce anxiety in this population of autistic children. LADDERS consists of psychoeducation, graded exposure-based tasks, and skills building, delivered utilising a person-centred approach. This study aims to assess whether LADDERS 1) reduces anxiety and 2) whether autistic children and parents find it acceptable and feasible. [...]
An examination of the caregiver-reported profile and function of behaviour directed towards others (aggressive behaviour) in children and adults with SATB2-Associated syndrome
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research2022
