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The Quality of Everyday Eye Contact in Williams Syndrome: Insights from Cross-syndrome Comparisons (2022)
Journal Article
Ridley, E., Arnott, B., Riby, D., Burt, M., Hanley, M., & Leekam, S. (2022). The Quality of Everyday Eye Contact in Williams Syndrome: Insights from Cross-syndrome Comparisons. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 127(4), 293-312. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-127.4.293

Past research shows that individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) have heightened and prolonged eye contact. Using parent report measures, we examined not only the presence of eye contact but also its qualitative features. Study 1 included individuals... Read More about The Quality of Everyday Eye Contact in Williams Syndrome: Insights from Cross-syndrome Comparisons.

‘Intolerance of Uncertainty’ mediates the relationship between social profile and anxiety in both Williams Syndrome and autism (2021)
Journal Article
South, M., Hanley, M., Normansell-Mossa, K., Russell, N., Cawthorne, T., & Riby, D. (2021). ‘Intolerance of Uncertainty’ mediates the relationship between social profile and anxiety in both Williams Syndrome and autism. Autism Research, 14(9), 1986-1995. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2554

Anxiety is the most significant mental health concern for both Williams syndrome (WS) and autism. Whilst WS and autism are characterised by some syndrome-specific social differences, less is known about cross-syndrome profiles of anxiety symptoms. Pr... Read More about ‘Intolerance of Uncertainty’ mediates the relationship between social profile and anxiety in both Williams Syndrome and autism.

Teacher insights into the barriers and facilitators of learning in autism (2020)
Journal Article
McDougal, E., Riby, D., & Hanley, E. (2020). Teacher insights into the barriers and facilitators of learning in autism. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 79, Article 101674. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101674

Background: Little is known about the factors impacting on learning for autistic pupils, even though academic outcomes are highly heterogeneous. The aim of the current study was to qualitatively explore factors that are perceived to impact positively... Read More about Teacher insights into the barriers and facilitators of learning in autism.

Does culture shape face perception in autism? Cross-cultural evidence of the own-race advantage from the UK and Japan (2020)
Journal Article
Hanley, M., Riby, D., Derges, M., Douligeri, A., Philyaw, Z., Ikeda, T., …Hirai, M. (2020). Does culture shape face perception in autism? Cross-cultural evidence of the own-race advantage from the UK and Japan. Developmental Science, 23(5), Article e12942. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12942

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with face perception atypicalities, and atypical experience with faces has been proposed as an underlying explanation. Studying the own‐race advantage (ORA) for face recognition can reveal the effect of... Read More about Does culture shape face perception in autism? Cross-cultural evidence of the own-race advantage from the UK and Japan.

Distraction, Distress and Diversity: Exploring the impact of sensory processing differences on learning and school life for pupils with autism spectrum disorders (2020)
Journal Article
Jones, E., Hanley, M., & Riby, D. (2020). Distraction, Distress and Diversity: Exploring the impact of sensory processing differences on learning and school life for pupils with autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 72, Article 101515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2020.101515

Background: Many individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience sensory differences that impact daily functioning. This study aimed to capture parent and teacher perspectives on how sensory differences affect learning and life at school... Read More about Distraction, Distress and Diversity: Exploring the impact of sensory processing differences on learning and school life for pupils with autism spectrum disorders.

Implications of capacity in the classroom: Simplifying tasks for autistic children may not be the answer (2018)
Journal Article
Remington, A., Hanley, M., O’Brien, S., Riby, D., & Swettenham, J. (2019). Implications of capacity in the classroom: Simplifying tasks for autistic children may not be the answer. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 85, 197-204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2018.12.006

Background: Research has demonstrated evidence for increased perceptual capacity in autism: autistic people can process more information at any given time than neurotypical individuals. The implications of this for educating autistic pupils have not... Read More about Implications of capacity in the classroom: Simplifying tasks for autistic children may not be the answer.

University Students with Autism: The Social and Academic Experiences of University in the UK (2018)
Journal Article
Gurbuz, E., Hanley, M., & Riby, D. (2019). University Students with Autism: The Social and Academic Experiences of University in the UK. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(2), 617-631. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3741-4

The number of university students with autism is increasing, and it is crucial that these students can access adequate support. An online questionnaire was completed by 26 autistic students and 158 non-autistic students enrolled at UK universities to... Read More about University Students with Autism: The Social and Academic Experiences of University in the UK.

Anxiety in Williams Syndrome: The role of social behaviour, executive functions and change over time (2017)
Journal Article
Ng-Cordell, E., Hanley, M., Alyssa, K., & Riby, D. M. (2018). Anxiety in Williams Syndrome: The role of social behaviour, executive functions and change over time. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 48(3), 796-808. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3357-0

Anxiety is a prevalent mental health issue for individuals with Williams syndrome (WS). Relatively little is known about the developmental course of anxiety, or how it links with core features of WS, namely social and executive functioning (EF). In t... Read More about Anxiety in Williams Syndrome: The role of social behaviour, executive functions and change over time.

Social vulnerability in Williams syndrome: A tendency to approach strangers (2017)
Journal Article
Riby, D., Ridley, E., Lough, E., & Hanley, M. (2017). Social vulnerability in Williams syndrome: A tendency to approach strangers. International review of research in developmental disabilities, 175-199. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.irrdd.2017.05.001

In this paper we discuss the social profile associated with the developmental disorder, Williams syndrome (WS), and provide a specific focus on social vulnerability risk factors, such as social approach. To illustrate aspects of social vulnerability... Read More about Social vulnerability in Williams syndrome: A tendency to approach strangers.

Classroom displays - Attraction or Distraction? Evidence of impact on attention and learning from children with and without autism (2017)
Journal Article
Hanley, M., Khairat, M., Taylor, K., Wilson, R., Cole-Fletcher, R., & Riby, D. M. (2017). Classroom displays - Attraction or Distraction? Evidence of impact on attention and learning from children with and without autism. Developmental Psychology, 53(7), 1265-1275. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000271

Paying attention is a critical first step toward learning. For children in primary school classrooms there can be many things to attend to other than the focus of a lesson, such as visual displays on classroom walls. The aim of this study was to use... Read More about Classroom displays - Attraction or Distraction? Evidence of impact on attention and learning from children with and without autism.

Violations of Personal Space in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Williams Syndrome: Insights from the Social Responsiveness Scale (2015)
Journal Article
Lough, E., Hanley, M., Rodgers, J., South, M., Kirk, H., Kennedy, D., & Riby, D. (2015). Violations of Personal Space in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Williams Syndrome: Insights from the Social Responsiveness Scale. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(12), 4101-4108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2536-0

Interpersonal distance regulation is crucial for successful social interactions. We investigated personal space awareness in Williams syndrome (WS) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared to typical development. Parents reported that individuals... Read More about Violations of Personal Space in Young People with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Williams Syndrome: Insights from the Social Responsiveness Scale.

The use of eye-tracking to explore social difficulties in cognitively able students with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot investigation (2015)
Journal Article
Hanley, M., Riby, D., Carty, C., Melaugh McAteer, A., Kennedy, A., & McPhillips, M. (2015). The use of eye-tracking to explore social difficulties in cognitively able students with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot investigation. Autism, 19(7), 868-873. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361315580767

in understanding the social world. Even for those who are cognitively able, autism-related difficulties continue into adulthood. Atypicalities attending to and interpreting communicative signals from others can provide barriers to success in educatio... Read More about The use of eye-tracking to explore social difficulties in cognitively able students with autism spectrum disorder: A pilot investigation.

Attention during social interaction in children with autism: Comparison to specific language impairment, typical development, and links to social cognition (2014)
Journal Article
Hanley, M., Riby, D., McCormack, T., Carty, C., Coyle, L., Crozier, N., …McPhillips, M. (2014). Attention during social interaction in children with autism: Comparison to specific language impairment, typical development, and links to social cognition. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 8(7), 908-924. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2014.03.020

Eye-tracking studies have shown how people with autism spend significantly less time looking at socially relevant information on-screen compared to those developing typically. This has been suggested to impact on the development of socio-cognitive sk... Read More about Attention during social interaction in children with autism: Comparison to specific language impairment, typical development, and links to social cognition.

Looking and Thinking: How individuals with Williams syndrome make judgements about mental states (2013)
Journal Article
Hanley, M., Riby, D., Caswell, S., Rooney, S., & Back, E. (2013). Looking and Thinking: How individuals with Williams syndrome make judgements about mental states. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34(12), 4466-4476. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.09.026

Individuals with the neuro-developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS) are characterised by a combination of features which makes this group vulnerable socially, including mild-moderate cognitive difficulties, pro-social drive, and indiscriminate t... Read More about Looking and Thinking: How individuals with Williams syndrome make judgements about mental states.

The Interplay Between Anxiety and Social Functioning in Williams Syndrome (2013)
Journal Article
Riby, D., Hanley, M., Kirk, H., Clark, F., Little, K., Fleck, R., …Rodgers, J. (2014). The Interplay Between Anxiety and Social Functioning in Williams Syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 44(5), 1220-1229. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-013-1984-7

The developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS) has been associated with an atypical social profile of hyper-sociability and heightened social sensitivity across the developmental spectrum. In addition, previous research suggests that both children... Read More about The Interplay Between Anxiety and Social Functioning in Williams Syndrome.

Spontaneous attention to faces in Asperger Syndrome using ecologically valid static stimuli (2013)
Journal Article
Hanley, M., McPhillips, M., Mulhern, G., & Riby, D. (2013). Spontaneous attention to faces in Asperger Syndrome using ecologically valid static stimuli. Autism, 17(6), 754-761. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361312456746

Previous eye tracking research on the allocation of attention to social information by individuals with autism spectrum disorders is equivocal and may be in part a consequence of variation in stimuli used between studies. The current study explored a... Read More about Spontaneous attention to faces in Asperger Syndrome using ecologically valid static stimuli.

Stranger Danger Awareness in Williams Syndrome (2013)
Journal Article
Riby, D., Kirk, H., Hanley, M., & Riby, L. (2014). Stranger Danger Awareness in Williams Syndrome. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 58(6), 572-582. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12055

Background: The developmental disorder Williams syndrome (WS) is characterised by a distinctive cognitive profile and an intriguing social phenotype. Individuals with the disorder are often highly social engaging with familiar and unfamiliar people a... Read More about Stranger Danger Awareness in Williams Syndrome.

Spontaneous and cued gaze-following in autism and Williams syndrome (2013)
Journal Article
Riby, D., Hancock, P., Jones, N., & Hanley, M. (2013). Spontaneous and cued gaze-following in autism and Williams syndrome. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 5(1), Article 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/1866-1955-5-13

Background: From a young age the typical development of social functioning relies upon the allocation of attention to socially relevant information, which in turn allows experience at processing such information and thus enhances social cognition. As... Read More about Spontaneous and cued gaze-following in autism and Williams syndrome.