How different developmental disabilities are connected in children and teens
Official title: Transdiagnostic Associations Across Developmental Disorders
Funded at University of Houston · NIH-11367168 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Collects health, behavioral, brain, and genetic information from children and adolescents in rural Zambia to understand how various developmental disabilities relate to each other and what services families use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Houston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $191,147 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD109307-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367168 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adolescents aged 3–18 with developmental disabilities living in rural Zambia, plus matched siblings, are the primary candidates for participation.
✕Less likely to help
People without developmental disabilities or children living outside the study area in Zambia are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If your child is between 3 and 18 and has developmental difficulties, researchers plan to enroll them along with matched siblings to form a large group of about 4,000 participants. The team will record medical histories, conduct behavioral and cognitive tests, collect brain and genetic data, and classify possible causes of each child’s condition. Families and community members will be asked about what services are available and used, and what barriers exist. The combined information will be used to paint a clearer picture of developmental disabilities in rural Zambia and to suggest better ways to diagnose and support children there.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to improved diagnosis, targeted treatments, and better access to services for children with developmental disabilities in sub-Saharan Africa.
How similar studies have gone: While similar characterization projects exist in higher-income countries, large multi-level studies focused on rural sub-Saharan Africa are limited, making this approach relatively novel for the region.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Houston
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grigorenko, Elena L — University of Houston
- Study coordinator: Grigorenko, Elena L
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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.