Newcastle University

Research Interests

My research focusses on children with disabilities and their families. Several projects evaluate approaches to intervention for children, and develop appropriate outcome measures. I am also concerned to understand what underpins behaviours: for example, how parent-child interaction can develop communication skills; and neuropsychological processes linked to repetitive behaviours and anxiety in ASD. (see Autism research website www.ncl.ac.uk/cargo-ne/)

Other Expertise

I have a long-standing research and training link with a network of child development centres in Bangladesh.
I direct Daslne: the database of children with ASD living in the North East of England (www.ncl.ac.uk/daslne)

Funding

Database of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder Living in the North East (Daslⁿe), PI, Northern Rock Foundation, 2002-2013, £195,842

Intervention for Social ATtention in Autism, PI, Nuffield Career Development Fellowship, 2010-2013, £169,024.

MeASURe, PI, HTA, 2013-2013, £259,946.

Register of Children with ASD and Families for Participation in Research (ASD-UK), CI, Autistica, 2010-2013, £95,509.

India Database for Children with ASD, CI, Autistica, 2012-2014, £88,174. 

Transition, CI, NIHR Programme Grant, 2012-2017, £1,999,697.

PACT 7-11, CI, MRC, 2012-2013, £672,637.

Feasibility study of new parent group intervention to manage repetitive behaviours in young children with ASD (MRB), CI, RfPB, 2012-2014, £232,800. 

DIADS - Diagnostic Instruments for Autism in Deaf Children, CI, MRC, 2013-2016, £472,678. 

Projects

• Developing and evaluating interventions for adolescent alcohol use disorders presenting through emergency departments – SIPS-JR
  Project Leader(s): Drummond C, Coulton S, Crawford M, Deluca P, Professor E Gilvarry, Professor E Kaner, Professor P McArdle, Russell I, Cohen D, Dr D Newbury-Birch, Maconachie I, Philips T, Patton R, Strang J, Allen M.
• How can health services contribute most effectively to facilitating successful transition of young people with complex health needs from childhood to adulthood?
  Project Leader(s): Professor Allan Colver
• Pilot trial of a new parent group intervention to manage repetitive behaviours in young children with ASD
  Project Leader(s): Professor Ann Le Couteur

• Maskey M, Warnell F, Parr J, LeCouteur A, McConachie H. Emotional and Behavioural Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2013, (epub ahead of print).
• Garralda ME, McConachie H, LeCouteur A, Sriranjan S, Chakrabarti I, Guglieri M, Cirak S, Bushby K, Muntoni F. Emotional impact of genetic trials in progressive paediatric disorders: a dose-ranging exon-skipping trial in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Child: Care, Health and Development 2013, (epub ahead of print).
• Aldred CR, Green J, Emsley R, McConachie H. Brief report: Mediation of treatment effect in a communication intervention for pre-school children with autism. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2012, 42(3), 447-454.
• Fletcher-Watson S, Leekam SR, Connolly B, Collis JM, Findlay JM, McConachie HR, Rodgers J. Attenuation of change blindness in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. British Journal of Developmental Psychology 2012, 30(3), 446-458.
• Honey E, Rodgers J, McConachie H. Measurement of restricted and repetitive behaviour in children with autism spectrum disorder: Selecting a questionnaire or interview. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 2012, 6(2), 757-776.
• Rodgers J, Riby DM, Janes E, Connolly B, McConachie H. Anxiety and Repetitive Behaviours in Autism Spectrum Disorders and Williams syndrome: A Cross-syndrome Comparison. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2012, 42(2), 175-180.
• Tavernor L, Barron E, Rodgers J, McConachie H. Finding out what matters: Validity of quality of life measurement in young people with ASD. Child: Care, Health and Development 2013, (epub ahead of print).
• Oono IP, Honey EJ, McConachie H. Parent-mediated early intervention for young children with autism spectrum disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, (4), 1-82.
• McConachie H. Pioneers of service development for children with intellectual disability. Child: Care, Health and Development 2012, 38(6), 761-762.
• Rodgers J, Glod M, Connolly B, McConachie H. Ther relationship between anxiety and repetitive behaviours in Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2012, 42(11), 2404-2409.
• Wigham S, McConachie H, Tandos J, LeCouteur A, Gateshead Millennium Study core team. The reliability and validity of the Social Responsiveness Scale in a UK general child population. Research in Developmental Disabilities 2012, 33(3), 944-950.
• Honey E, McConachie H, Turner M, Rodgers J. Validation of the Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaire for use with Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders 2011, 6(1), 355-364.
• Iao LS, Leekam S, Perner J, McConachie H. Further Evidence for Nonspecificity of Theory of Mind in Preschoolers: Training and Transferability in the Understanding of False Beliefs and False Signs. Journal of Cognition and Development 2011, 12(1), 56-79.
• Kisler J, McConachie H. Parental reaction to disability. Paediatrics and Child Health 2010, 20(7), 309-314.
• Arnott B, McConachie H, Meins E, Fernyhough C, LeCouteur A, Turner M, Parkinson K. The frequency of restricted and repetitive behaviours in a community sample of 15-month-old infants. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics 2010, 31(3), 223-229.
• Green J, Charman T, McConachie H, Aldred C, Slonims V, Howlin P, Le Couteur A, Leadbitter K, Hudry K, Byford S, Barrett B, Temple K, Macdonald W, Pickles A. Parent-mediated communication-focused treatment in children with autism (PACT): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet 2010, 375(9732), 2152-2160.
• Hudry K, Leadbitter K, Temple K, Slonims V, McConachie H, Aldred C, Howlin P, Charman T. Preschoolers with autism show greater impairment in receptive compared with expressive language abilities. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders 2010, 45(6), 681-690.
• Pinto D, Pagnamenta AT, Klei L, Anney R, Merico D, Regan R, Conroy J, Berney T, Le Couteur A, McConachie H, Parr JR. Functional impact of global rare copy number variation in autism spectrum disorders. Nature 2010, 466, 368–372.
• McConachie H. Growing up with disability (research highlights in social work 34). Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities 1999, 12(4), 360-361.
• McConachie H, McLaughlin E, Grahame V, Taylor H, Honey E, Tavernor L, Rodgers J, Freeston M, Hemm C, Steen N, Le Couteur A. Group therapy for anxiety in children with autism spectrum disorder. Autism 2013. In Press.
• Pickles A, Parr JR, Rutter ML, De Jonge MV, Wallace S, Le Couteur AS, van Engeland H, Wittemayer K, McConachie H, Roge B, Mantolan C, Pedersen L, Isager T, Poustka F, Bolte P, Bolton P, Weisblatt E, Green J, Papanikolauo K, Bailey AJ. New Interview and Observation Measures of the Broader Autism Phenotype: Impressions of Interviewee Measure. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 2013, (epub ahead of print).
• Khan NZ, Muslima H, Shilpi AB, Begum D, Parveen M, Akter N, Ferdous S, Nahar K, McConachie H, Darmstadt GL. Validation of Rapid Neurodevelopmental Assessment for 2-to 5-Year-Old Children in Bangladesh. Pediatrics 2013, 131(2), e486-e494.