South Carolina Honors College

Exploration Scholars Grant 2018-19

Brief description of faculty mentor’s research program area.

The primary aim of the USC Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Lab is to conduct high
quality research with young children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders and
their families to increase understanding of factors that affect development within a family
systems approach. This lab conducts research in collaboration with colleagues at the University
of South Carolina and at other institutions in the state and across the country. Articles have
recently been published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the Journal of
Neurodevelopmental Disorders, and more. This lab has been awarded grants funded by the NIH,
the National Institute for Mental Health, and the National Institute on Deafness and
Communication Disorders, as well as received funding through the University of South Carolina
for their undergraduate researchers.

Research question or general area of interest to be pursued.

This study aims to explore the relationships between neurodevelopmental disorders such as
Down syndrome, autism, and fragile X syndrome. We are studying early indicators of anxiety in
children aged 1-5 with autism and fragile X, as well as exploring the relationship between autism
and fragile X syndrome. Additional studies include research on motor impairments and delayed
developmental milestones. I began volunteering in the spring semester 2018, helping to analyze
early indicators of neurodevelopmental disorders. This research is important because it has major
implications in understanding these disorders and child development. Specifically, if successful,
this study has long-term implications for future treatment and care strategies for children with
autism, fragile X, and down syndrome.

Daily activities in which the student will be engaged.

My project is behavioral coding. Each day, I watch videos of children completing behavioral
assessments and analyze their behavior using the program Observer XT. I go through each video
frame by frame, assigning a behavior code to each frame. Each child has videos at six, nine,
twelve, and twenty-four months old. I work on clips that include tests with atypically developing
children, siblings of atypically developing children, and typically developing children. My
coding projects are used for further research on motor skills, development patterns, and attention
profiles of atypically developing children. When time permits, I also have the opportunity to
assist Dr. Will with her projects on motor impairments and trajectories of motor development. In
my training to work with human subjects, I observe current tests when families come into the
lab. A lab mentor sits with me and explains the purpose of each test and how the data will be
used.

Description of educational benefit to student.

This lab is an excellent fit for my academic interests and career goals. I have the chance to
observe family interactions, be trained in research techniques involving human subjects, as well
as use programs such as Observer XT. I have completed CITI training for human research. I plan
to work in this lab for several semesters, which will provide me professional opportunities and
the chance to contribute to many different projects in the lab. I will be able to conduct individual
research exploring the connection between early impairments and future risk profiles, repetitive
behaviors and the impact on heart rate, or study nonverbal indicators of atypical child
development. I will be able to work closely with lab mentors and other undergraduate
researchers in the lab. In the future, I will attend professional workshops, lab meetings, and
present my research at Discover USC. I am pursuing medical school and these skills will be of
great value to me in preparation for graduate school as I learn to become a member of a
multidisciplinary research team.