Early dyadic synchrony and outcomes in kids at risk for ADHD or autism
Official title: Early Dyadic Synchrony and Middle Childhood Outcomes Among Infants at Genetic Risk for ADHD or Autism
Funded at University of California at Davis · NIH-11326747 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study following children who have genetic risk for ADHD or autism to see how early parent‑child interactions relate to thinking, behavior, and school outcomes later on.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $724,444 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH137613-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326747 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children in early childhood who have a genetic risk for ADHD or autism and their parents.
✕Less likely to help
Children without identified genetic risk or not engaged in dyadic interaction assessments may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows families over several years to understand how the quality of parent–infant interactions influences later ADHD and autism symptoms and related outcomes in middle childhood. Researchers will use genetic information to identify risk and observe dyadic synchrony in everyday interactions, along with behavioral and biological measures. The goal is to learn whether early relational patterns help shape developmental trajectories for children at risk, potentially guiding future supports. Participation would involve assessments, interviews, and possibly biospecimen collection at multiple time points.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform early interventions that help families foster healthier parent–child interactions to reduce future ADHD/ASD symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research links parent–child synchrony to developmental outcomes, but this study uniquely examines dyadic timing and its differential effects on ADHD vs ASD in a genetically at-risk population.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California at Davis
Davis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Talbott, Meagan Ruth — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Talbott, Meagan Ruth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how anxiety and ADHD affect autism spectrum disorder
This study is looking at how conditions like anxiety and ADHD affect children with autism, so we can better understand their needs and improve how we diagnose and treat them.
-
How early parent-infant interactions affect children at risk for ADHD or autism
This study looks at how the way parents and babies interact early on can affect children who might be at risk for ADHD or autism, helping us understand how to support them better as they grow up.
-
Understanding brain connectivity in autism and ADHD
This study is looking at how the brain's reward system works in people with autism and ADHD compared to those without these conditions, hoping to find new insights that could improve diagnosis and treatment for everyone involved.
-
Understanding language development in infants at risk for autism and ADHD
This study is looking at how babies who might be at risk for autism and ADHD learn to talk, using a fun eye-tracking game to see how they connect words to their meanings and the world, so we can better understand their language development.
-
Neural roots of how autistic adults understand word meaning
A study to understand how adults with autism process word meanings in the brain, aiming to improve language support.
-
Sleep and daily rhythms and brain development in autism
Aiming to understand how sleep problems and daily activity patterns affect brain growth, thinking skills, daily functioning, and autism symptoms in children.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.