Our Research

Two children, sitting on a chair together, reading books individually.
 

Social Communication and Anxiety in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Research in the CANDi Lab focuses on social communication in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder and FMR1-related conditions such as fragile X syndrome and the FMR1 premutation. Our work aims to better understand how, when, and why anxiety develops in some children with neurodevelopmental disorders. We're also interested in understanding the relationship between anxiety and broader abilities, particularly social communication.  

 

A Multi-Methods Approach: Behavioral Phenotyping, Heart Activity, Eye Tracking, and EEG

Our research utilizes multiple methods, including behavioral observations, standardized measures of cognitive and language ability, caregiver interviews, and questionnaires. Our behavioral assessments are designed to provide many opportunities for play, social interaction, and communication. During many behavioral assessments, participants wear a small, non-invasive, and lightweight heart rate monitor so we can see how their bodies are reacting physiologically to the different activities and interactions. Dr. Hogan also has experience collecting and examining eye tracking and electroencephalogram (EEG) data, and some of our research studies utilize these tools as well. 

Young, blonde girl wearing an EEG cap.
Portrait of Gillian Marshall.
 

Past Student Projects

“For the past year, I have been working on my own research project under the Magellan Scholar Award that studies social anxiety in preschool-aged children with ASD. By observing the child’s reaction to a stranger approach, measuring their physiological response using heart activity data, and collecting parent-reported social anxiety data, I want to see if there are any distinct markers of social anxiety that exist in young autistic children that can help identify an earlier diagnosis and allow them to receive early intervention. I will be presenting my research at DiscoverUSC in April this year and hopefully continue to expand on this project throughout the rest of my undergrad.” -Gillian Marshall

Publications

  • Hogan, A.L., Winston, M., Barstein, J., & Losh, M. (in press). Slower peak pupillary response to emotional faces in parents of autistic individuals. Frontiers in Psychology.

    Hunt, E., Hogan, A.L., Will, E., & Roberts, J. (2022). Trajectories and psychiatric consequences of inhibitory control in young males with fragile X syndrome. Child Neuropsychology. https://doi.org/10.1080/09297049.2022.2120605

    Ezell, J., Hogan, A.L., Will, E.A., Smith, K., & Roberts, J. (2022). Cardiac startle response and clinical outcomes in preschool children with fragile X syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 729127. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.729127

  • Guy, M., Richards, J.E., Hogan, A.L., & Roberts, J. (2021). Neural correlates of infant face processing and later emerging autism symptoms in fragile X syndrome. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 716642. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.716642

    Hogan, A., Hunt, E., Smith, K., Black, C., Bangert, K., Klusek, J., & Roberts, J. (2021). Trajectories of heart activity across infancy to early childhood differentially predict autism and anxiety symptoms in fragile X syndrome. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 727559. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.727559

    Guy, M., Black, C., Hogan, A.L., Roberts, J.E., & Richards, J.E. (2021). A single-session behavioral protocol for successful ERP recording in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. Developmental Psychobiology, 63(7), e22194. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22194

    Black, C.J., Hogan, A.L., Smith, K., & Roberts, J. (2021). Early physiological and behavioral markers of social anxiety in infants with fragile X syndrome. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 13(11). https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-021-09356-3

    Smith, K., Hogan, A.L., Will, E.A., & Roberts, J. (2021). Attention bias and prodromal anxiety symptoms in toddlers with fragile X syndrome and Down syndrome. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 126(2), 167-181. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-126.2.167

  • Poupore, N., Smith, K., Hogan, A.L., & Roberts, J. (2020). Early behavioral and physiological predictors of autism in 12-month-old siblings of children with autism. Caravel, 8.

    Roberts, J., Bradshaw, J., Will, E.A., Hogan, A.L., McQuillin, S., & Hills, K. (2020). Prevalence and predictors of autism in fragile x syndrome. Development and Psychopathology, 32(4), 1335-1352. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579420000942

    Kelleher, B., Hogan, A.L., Caravella, K., Ezell, J.A., & Roberts, J.E. (2020). Anxiety and threat-related attentional biases in adolescents with fragile X syndrome. Journal for Intellectual Disability Research, 64(4), 296-302. https://doi.org/10.1111/jir.12715

    Winston, M.W., Nayar, K., Hogan, A.L., Barstein, J., La Valle, C., Sharp, K., Berry-Kravis, L., & Losh, M. (2020). Physiological regulation and social-emotional processing in female carriers of the FMR1 premutation. Physiology & Behavior, 214(112746), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112746

  • Wall, C.A., Hogan, A.L., Will, E.A., McQuillin, S., Tonnsen, B., & Roberts, J.E. (2019). Early negative affect in males and females with fragile X syndrome: Implications for anxiety and autism. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 11(22), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11689-019-9284-y

    Nayar, K., McKinney, W., Hogan, A.L., Martin, G., La Valle, C., Sharp, K., Berry-Kravis, E., Norton, E.S., Gordon, P.C., & Losh, M. (2019). Language processing skills linked to FMR1 variation: A study of gaze-language coordination during rapid automatized naming among women with the FMR1 premutation. PLoS One, 14(7), e0219924. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219924

    Hughes, K.R., Hogan, A.L., Roberts, J.E., & Klusek, J. (2019). Gesture development in infants with fragile X syndrome and typically-developing infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 62(7), 2386-2399. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_JSLHR-L-17-0491

    Roberts, J., Crawford, H., Hogan, A.L., Fairchild, A., Brewe, A., O’Connor, S.L., & Roberts, D.J. (2019). Social impairments emerge in infancy and persist into adulthood in fragile X syndrome. Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, 49(3), 3753-3766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04051-8

    Roberts, J., Crawford, H., Will, E.A., Hogan, A.L., McQuillin, S., Tonnsen, B.L., O’Connor, S., Roberts, D.J., & Brewe, A. (2019). Infant social avoidance predicts autism but not anxiety in fragile X syndrome. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10, 199. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00199

    Ezell, J., Hogan, A.L., Fairchild, A., Hills, K., Klusek, J., Abbeduto, L., & Roberts, J. (2019). Prevalence and predictors of anxiety disorders in adolescent and adult males with autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 49(3),1131-1141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-018-3804-6

  • Nayar, K., Gordon, P.C., Martin, G.E., Hogan, A.L., La Valle, C., McKinney, W., Lee, M., Norton, E.S., & Losh, M. (2018). Links between looking and speaking in autism and the broad autism phenotype: Insights into the expression of genetic liability to autism. Molecular Autism, 9(1), 51. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13229-018-0233-5

  • Hogan, A. L., Caravella, K. E., Ezell, J., Rague, L., Hills, K., & Roberts, J. E. (2017). Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in Infants with Fragile X Syndrome: A Prospective Case Series. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(6), 1628–1644. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3081-9

    Scherr, J. F., Hogan, A. L., Hatton, D., & Roberts, J. E. (2017). Stranger Fear and Early Risk for Social Anxiety in Preschoolers with Fragile X Syndrome Contrasted to Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(12), 3741–3755. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-017-3059-7

    Lee, M., Martin, G.E., Hogan, A.L., Hano, D., Gordon, P.C. & Losh, M. (2017). What’s the story? A computational analysis of narrative competence in autism. Autism, 22(3), 335-344. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1362361316677957

  • Hogan-Brown, A.L., Hoedemaker, R.S., Gordon, P.C., & Losh, M. (2014). Eye-voice lead during rapid automatized naming: Evidence of reduced automaticity in individuals with autism spectrum disorder and their siblings. Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders, 6(33), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1866-1955-6-33

  • Hogan-Brown, A.L., Losh, M., Martin, G., & Mueffelmann, D. (2013). An investigation of narrative ability in boys with autism and fragile X syndrome. American Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 118(2), 77-94. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-118.2.77

    Damiano, C.R., Nahmias, A.S., & Hogan-Brown, A.L., & Stone, W.L. (2013). What do repetitive and stereotyped movements mean for infant siblings of children with autism spectrum disorders? Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 43, 1326-1335. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-012-1681-y

  • Losh, M., Martin, G.E., Klusek, J., Hogan-Brown, A.L., & Sideris, J. (2012). Social communication and theory of mind in boys with autism and fragile X syndrome. Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, 3(266), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00266

    Losh, M., Martin, G.E., Klusek, J., & Hogan-Brown, A.L. (2012). Pragmatic language in autism and fragile X syndrome: Genetic and clinical applications. Perspectives on Language Learning and Education, 19, 48-55. https://doi.org/10.1044/lle19.2.48