Arshjot Kaur
Project: Influence of pregnancy length on clinician and caregiver observations of social communication in children with autism before and following service intervention
“My nephew, who has autism, has been one of the most important influences shaping my decision to pursue pediatric research and clinical care focused on supporting children with autism. Seeing the impact of the supports that have guided his growth has deepened my appreciation for individualized, child-centred care built upon the understanding that each child has their own unique strengths, needs and experiences.”
Summary: Autism can shape early childhood development through differences in social and communication behaviours of children. Parents and caregivers are often the first to notice early signs and have important insights into their child's growth and development. They may report more subtle changes in behaviours and adaptive skills than clinicians can capture during brief assessments. While discrepancies between clinician and caregiver reports of these behaviours have been observed as early as 12 and 18 months of age, the effect of length of pregnancy on service intervention outcomes remains unclear.
This study investigates how length of pregnancy influences the impact of service interventions on social and communication behaviour outcomes in children with autism, and how these outcomes, as observed by caregivers and clinicians, change over time. This will be explored through analysis of data from the Pathways in Autism Spectrum Disorder Study, a longitudinal study that followed autistic children across various sites in Canada from diagnosis until adulthood.
By examining the influence of length of pregnancy on social outcomes before and following service interventions, while incorporating the diverse perspectives of key players in children's lives, we can understand how they may be integrated to provide a more comprehensive understanding of social communication and language growth in children with autism over time.
Arshjot Kaur was supervised by Drs. Lori Sacrey (Research Associate) and Lonnie Zwaigenbaum in the Department of Pediatrics in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. Kaur’s WCHRI summer studentship was funded by the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. She is enrolled in the Honors neuroscience program at the University of Alberta.
Read more about WCHRI’s training awards for students at all levels and generous grants for researchers. See the rest of the 2026 summer studentship recipients here.
