Martyn Symons

ORIGINS of Neurodevelopmental Risk and Resilience

This project aims to better understand the early genetic and environmental factors that the developing brain during a child’s first five years of life.

Precision pathways for young children at risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Early identification and adaptive intervention starting from the prenatal period

Alert Program®

A systematic review of prevention interventions to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Indigenous communities

Pilbara FASD Project

Parent Child Assistance Program - A Pilot Study in Perth

Fetal alcohol exposure, nutritional status and epigenetic disruption – exploring the links

THINK BIG - Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The epigenetic origin of alcohol-induced disorders: a cross-species study

Assessing The Validity Of A Culturally Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire For Use In Aboriginal Communities

Alcohol related harms disproportionately affect Aboriginal people in Australia. Motives to drink have been identified as the most proximal factor to alcohol consumption.The aim of this study is to assess the validity of a culturally modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (DMQ-R) (Cooper, 1994) with Aboriginal participants. The study was cross sectional, utilising data collected via face-to-face surveys with a sample of adult Aboriginal participants.

Nurturing families: One year pilot outcomes for a modified Parent Child Assistance Program in Australia

Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) exposure during pregnancy is linked to serious adverse child outcomes, including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The Parent-Child Assistance Program (PCAP) supports women with problematic AOD use, who are pregnant or have young children, and are not effectively engaging with services. PCAP has been shown to reduce alcohol exposed pregnancies, promote AOD abstinence, increase employment and family planning and improve child outcomes.

An exploratory study on the role of criminogenic risk factors and informant-rated everyday executive functioning in predicting the age of offending onset in young people with FASD

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is characterised by a range of neurodevelopmental deficits that may increase risks of justice system involvement. Improving our understanding of criminogenic risk factors and particularly the role of informant-rated executive functioning (EF) in predicting the age of offending onset in this clinical population may reduce recidivism and help inform targeted interventions.

A systematic review of the biological, social, and environmental determinants of intellectual disability in children and adolescents

This systematic review aimed to identify the most important social, environmental, biological, and/or genetic risk factors for intellectual disability.

Exploring offending characteristics of young people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in Western Australia

Neurodevelopmental impairments resulting from Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can increase the likelihood of justice system involvement. This study compared offence characteristics in young people with FASD to demographically matched controls (n = 500) in Western Australia.

It takes a village: Influencing policy and practice to prevent alcohol use in pregnancy and promote better outcomes for individuals living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by exposure to alcohol in utero. It has pervasive, lifelong impacts and is recognised as a major public health concern in many countries where alcohol is used. The FASD Research Australia Centre of Research Excellence was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council to generate and translate evidence to address prevention, diagnosis, and management of FASD in Australia.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, Associated Stressors and Comorbidities in Children and Youth with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder across the Child Protection and Justice Settings in Western Australia

Individuals with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are at risk of having adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), especially those with child protection or justice system involvement. The complex relationship between FASD and psychosocial vulnerabilities in the affected individual is an important clinical risk factor for comorbidity.

The Development and Implementation of a Culturally Safe Survey for Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Values around FASD and Alcohol Use During Pregnancy in a Remote Australian Aboriginal Community Setting

Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with offspring DNA methylation in mammals: a systematic review of the evidence

Prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with a range of adverse offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes. Several studies suggest that PAE modifies DNA methylation in offspring cells and tissues, providing evidence for a potential mechanistic link to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Identifying how the principles of self-determination could be applied to create effective alcohol policy for First Nations Australians: Synthesising the lessons from the development of general public policy

Harmful alcohol consumption contributes to poorer health for all people. For Indigenous Peoples of Australia, Canada, and New Zealand alcohol impacts their wellbeing significantly, this is partially explained by both their experiences of colonisation and the resulting impact on structural and social determinants of health. Indigenous Peoples have a recognised right to self-determination, which includes their right to contribute to policy decisions that affect them.

Community Priority setting for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research in Australia

Introduction Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). FASD research is a rapidly growing field that crosses multiple disciplines. To ensure research is relevant and meaningful for people living with FASD, their families, and the broader public there is a need to engage community members in setting priorities for research.

A preliminary investigation of the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on facial morphology in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

While early exposure to alcohol may influence the development of facial structures, it does not appear to be associated with ASD phenotypic variability

RE-AIM evaluation of a teacher-delivered programme to improve the self-regulation of children attending Australian Aboriginal community primary schools

Benefits in teaching the Alert Program® to students in a region with high reported rates of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and self-regulation impairment

The provision of alcohol and breastfeeding information by maternal health practitioners in the Australian setting

Despite the existence of a national alcohol guideline for breastfeeding women, maternal health practitioners are not incorporating this advice

Machine learning vs addiction therapists: A pilot study predicting alcohol dependence treatment outcome from patient data in behavior therapy with adjunctive medication

The majority of staff and machine learning models were not more accurate than suggested by chance

A systematic review of prevention interventions to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in indigenous communities

There is little evidence that previous interventions aiming to reduce the risk of prenatal alcohol exposure or FASD in Indigenous populations have been effective

Study protocol for a self-controlled cluster randomised trial of the Alert Program to improve self-regulation and executive function in Australian Aboriginal children

This trial is evaluating the effectiveness of an Alert Program school curriculum for improving self-regulation and executive function in children living in remote Australian Aboriginal communities