Dr Catherine Jones

Darllenydd a Chyfarwyddwr Canolfan Ymchwil Awtistiaeth Cymru

: Ar gael fel goruchwyliwr ôl-raddedig

Research summary

I am the Director of the Wales Autism Research Centre and my work is driven by the aim of improving understanding of autism and supporting better outcomes for autistic people. I have a particular interest in how relatively basic perceptual processing mechanisms impact on cognition and behaviour, as well as in how autism is perceived and understood.

Current projects include improving knowledge of the signs of autism and attitudes towards autism among frontline professionals and the public. This work is in collaboration with Welsh Government's National Autism Team and several European countries. Our award-winning educational film can be viewed here. My PhD research on temporal processing has continued with interest in the temporal perception and production of autistic people, including how these processes may relate to social communication. I also have a research focus on sensory processing, and we are conducting novel research in our purpose-built Multi-Sensory Environment, which is housed within CUCHDS. I am also interested in the complex issue of co-occurrence in autism and we are exploring the overlap between autism and anorexia nervosa as part of the SEDAF project.

2024

Keating, J., Hashmi, S., Vanderwert, R. E., Davies, R. M., Jones, C. R. G. and Gerson, S. A. 2024. Embracing neurodiversity in doll play: Investigating neural and language correlates of doll play in a neurodiverse sample. European Journal of Neuroscience 60(3), pp. 4097-4114. (10.1111/ejn.16144)
Brede, J. et al. 2024. The clinical characteristics of autistic women with restrictive eating disorders. BJPsych Open 10(4), article number: e131. (10.1192/bjo.2024.65)
Field, S. L., Williams, M. O., Jones, C. R. and Fox, J. R. 2024. A meta-ethnography of autistic people’s experiences of social camouflaging and its relationship with mental health. Autism 28(6), pp. 1328-1343. (10.1177/13623613231223036)
Jones, C. R., Livingston, L. A., Fretwell, C., Uljarević, M., Carrington, S. J., Shah, P. and Leekam, S. R. 2024. Measuring self and informant perspectives of Restricted and Repetitive Behaviours (RRBs): psychometric evaluation of the Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-3 (RBQ-3) in adult clinical practice and research settings. Molecular Autism 15(1), article number: 24. (10.1186/s13229-024-00603-7)
Keating, J., Purcell, C., Gerson, S. A., Vanderwert, R. E. and Jones, C. R. G. 2024. Exploring the presence and impact of sensory differences in children with Developmental Coordination Disorder. Research in Developmental Disabilities 148, article number: 104714. (10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104714)
Thomas, K. S., Jones, C. R., Williams, M. O. and Vanderwert, R. E. 2024. Associations between disordered eating, internalizing symptoms, and behavioral and neural correlates of response inhibition in preadolescence. Developmental Psychobiology 66(3), article number: e22477. (10.1002/dev.22477)
Unwin, K. L., Powell, G., Price, A. and Jones, C. R. G. 2024. Patterns of equipment use for autistic children in multi-sensory environments: Time spent with sensory equipment varies by sensory profile and intellectual ability. Autism 28(3), pp. 644-655. (10.1177/13623613231180266)
Thomas, K. S., Jones, C. R. G., Williams, M. O. and Vanderwert, R. E. 2024. Neural correlates of emotion regulation and associations with disordered eating during preadolescence. Developmental Psychobiology (10.1002/dev.70009)

2023

Keating, J., Gerson, S. A., Jones, C. R., Vanderwert, R. E. and Purcell, C. 2023. Possible disrupted biological movement processing in Developmental Coordination Disorder. Cortex 168, pp. 1-13. (10.1016/j.cortex.2023.06.018)
Bowsher-Murray, C., Jones, C. R. G. and von dem Hagen, E. 2023. Beyond simultaneity: temporal interdependence of behaviour is key to affiliative effects of interpersonal synchrony in children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 232, article number: 105669. (10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105669)
Wallbridge, C. D., McGregor, C., Drozdz, N., Von Dem Hagen, E. and Jones, C. R. G. 2023. A systematic review of familiarisation methods used in human-robot interactions for autistic participants. International Journal of Social Robotics (10.1007/s12369-023-01015-y)
Field, S. L., Fox, J. R. E., Jones, C. R. G. and Williams, M. O. 2023. “Work WITH us”: a Delphi study about improving eating disorder treatment for autistic women with anorexia nervosa. Journal of Eating Disorders 11(1), article number: 17. (10.1186/s40337-023-00740-z)

2022

Bowsher-Murray, C., Jones, C. R. G. and von dem Hagen, E. 2022. Beyond simultaneity: temporal interdependence of behaviour is key to affiliative effects of interpersonal synchrony in children. [Online]. PsyArXiv: Cornell University. Available at: http://psyarxiv.com/tbp68/
Babb, C., Brede, J., Jones, C. R., Serpell, L., Mandy, W. and Fox, J. R. 2022. A comparison of the eating disorder service experiences of autistic and non-autistic women in the UK. European Eating Disorders Review 30(5), pp. 616-627. (10.1002/erv.2930)
Babb, C., Jones, C. R. G. and Fox, J. R. E. 2022. Investigating service users’ perspectives of eating disorder services: A meta-synthesis. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy 29(4), pp. 1276-1296. (10.1002/cpp.2723)
Unwin, K. L., Powell, G. and Jones, C. R. 2022. The use of Multi-Sensory Environments with autistic children: Exploring the effect of having control of sensory changes. Autism 26(6), pp. 1379-1394. (10.1177/13623613211050176)
Adamson, J., Brede, J., Babb, C., Serpell, L., Jones, C. R. G., Fox, J. and Mandy, W. 2022. Towards identifying a method of screening for autism amongst women with restrictive eating disorders. European Eating Disorders Review (10.1002/erv.2918)
Bowsher-Murray, C., Gerson, S., Von dem Hagen, E. and Jones, C. 2022. The components of interpersonal synchrony in the typical population and in autism: a conceptual analysis. Frontiers in Psychology 13, article number: 897015. (10.3389/fpsyg.2022.897015)
Thomas, K. S., Birch, R. E., Jones, C. R. G. and Vanderwert, R. E. 2022. Neural correlates of executive functioning in anorexia nervosa and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 16, article number: 841633. (10.3389/fnhum.2022.841633)
Cooper, M., Gale, K., Langley, K., Broughton, T., Massey, T. H., Hall, N. J. and Jones, C. R. 2022. How to do it: the neurological consultation with an autistic patient. Practical Neurology 22, pp. 120-125. (10.1136/practneurol-2020-002856)
Turnock, A., Langley, K. and Jones, C. R. 2022. Understanding stigma in autism: a narrative review and theoretical model. Autism in Adulthood 4(1), pp. 76-91. (10.1089/aut.2021.0005)

2015

Barrett, S. L., Uljarevic, M., Baker, E. K., Richdale, A. L., Jones, C. R. G. and Leekam, S. R. 2015. The Adult Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire-2 (RBQ-2A): a self-report measure of restricted and repetitive behaviours. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 45(11), pp. 3680-3692. (10.1007/s10803-015-2514-6)
Carter Leno, V., Charman, T., Pickles, A., Jones, C. R. G., Baird, G., Happe, F. and Simonoff, E. 2015. Callous-unemotional traits in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. British Journal of Psychiatry 207(5), pp. 392-399. (10.1192/bjp.bp.114.159863)
Barrett, B. et al. 2015. Comparing service use and costs among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, special needs and typical development. Autism 19(5), pp. 562-569. (10.1177/1362361314536626)
Jones, C. R. G. and Jahanshahi, M. 2015. Striatal and frontal pathology: Parkinson's Disease and patients with lesions of the Basal ganglia and frontal cortex. In: Vatakis, A. and Allman, M. eds. Time Distortions in Mind: Temporal Processing in Clinical Populations. Brill, pp. 250-280., (10.1163/9789004230699_011)

2014

Hollocks, M. J., Jones, C. R. G., Pickles, A., Baird, G., Happé, F., Charman, T. and Simonoff, E. 2014. The association between social cognition and executive functioning and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Research 7(2), pp. 216-228. (10.1002/aur.1361)
Jones, C. C. R. and Jahanshahi, M. 2014. Motor and perceptual timing in Parkinson's Disease. In: Merchant, H. and De Lafuente, V. eds. Neurobiology of Interval Timing., Vol. 829. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology Springer, pp. 265-290., (10.1007/978-1-4939-1782-2_14)
Jones, C. R. G. and Jahanshahi, M. 2014. Contributions of the basal ganglia to temporal processing: Evidence from Parkinson's Disease. Timing & Time Perception 2(1), pp. 87-127. (10.1163/22134468-00002009)

2013

Ricketts, J., Jones, C. R. G., Happé, F. and Charman, T. 2013. Reading comprehension in autism spectrum disorders: the role of oral language and social functioning. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 43(4), pp. 807-816. (10.1007/s10803-012-1619-4)
Simonoff, E., Jones, C. R. G., Baird, G., Pickles, A., Happé, F. and Charman, T. 2013. The persistence and stability of psychiatric problems in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 54(2), pp. 186-194. (10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02606.x)
Claassen, D. O. et al. 2013. Deciphering the impact of cerebellar and basal ganglia dysfunction in accuracy and variability of motor timing. Neuropsychologia 51(2), pp. 267-274. (10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.09.018)
Jones, C. R. G. 2013. Wisconsin card sorting test. In: Volkmar, F. R. ed. Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Dordrecht: Springer

2012

Simonoff, E., Jones, C. R. G., Pickles, A., Happe, F., Baird, G. and Charman, T. 2012. Severe mood problems in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 53(11), pp. 1157-1166. (10.1111/j.1469-7610.2012.02600.x)
Megnin, O., Flitton, A., Jones, C. R. G., de Haan, M., Baldeweg, T. and Charman, T. 2012. Audiovisual speech integration in autism spectrum disorders: ERP evidence for atypicalities in lexical-semantic processing. Autism Research 5(1), pp. 39-48. (10.1002/aur.231)

2011

Jones, C. R. G. et al. 2011. Modeling accuracy and variability of motor timing in treated and untreated Parkinson's disease and healthy controls. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience 5, article number: 81. (10.3389/fnint.2011.00081)
Jones, C. R. G. and Jahanshahi, M. 2011. Dopamine modulates striato-frontal functioning during temporal processing. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience 5, article number: 70. (10.3389/fnint.2011.00070)
Jones, C. R. G. et al. 2011. No evidence for a fundamental visual motion processing deficit in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Research 4(5), pp. 347-357. (10.1002/aur.209)
Jones, C. R. G. et al. 2011. 'Everyday memory' impairments in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 41(4), pp. 455-464. (10.1007/s10803-010-1067-y)
Charman, T., Jones, C. R. G., Pickles, A., Simonoff, E., Baird, G. and Happé, F. 2011. Defining the cognitive phenotype of autism. Brain Research 1380, pp. 10-21. (10.1016/j.brainres.2010.10.075)
Jones, C. R. G. et al. 2011. A multimodal approach to emotion recognition ability in autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 52(3), pp. 275-285. (10.1111/j.1469-7610.2010.02328.x)

2010

Jahanshahi, M. et al. 2010. Dopaminergic modulation of striato-frontal connectivity during motor timing in Parkinson's disease. Brain 133(3), pp. 727-745. (10.1093/brain/awq012)

2009

Jones, C. R. G. et al. 2009. Reading and arithmetic in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders: Peaks and dips in attainment. Neuropsychology 23(6), pp. 718-728. (10.1037/a0016360)
Jones, C. R. G. et al. 2009. Auditory discrimination and auditory sensory behaviours in autism spectrum disorders. Neuropsychologia 47(13), pp. 2850-2858. (10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2009.06.015)
Jones, C. R. G. and Jahanshahi, M. 2009. The substantia nigra, the basal ganglia, dopamine and temporal processing. In: Di Giovanni, G., Di Matteo, V. and Esposito, E. eds. Birth, Life and Death of Dopaminergic Neurons in the Substantia Nigra. Journal of Neural Transmission Supplements Vol. 73. Vienna: Springer Verlag, pp. 161-171.

2008

Jones, C. R. G., Malone, T. J. L., Dirnberger, G., Edwards, M. and Jahanshahi, M. 2008. Basal ganglia, dopamine and temporal processing: performance on three timing tasks on and off medication in Parkinson's disease. Brain and Cognition 68(1), pp. 30-41. (10.1016/j.bandc.2008.02.121)
Jahanshahi, M. et al. 2008. Effects on cognition of stereotactic lesional surgery for the treatment of tremor in multiple sclerosis. Behavioural Neurology 20(1-2), pp. 1-9. (10.3233/BEN-2008-0207)

2006

Jahanshahi, M., Jones, C. R. G., Dirnberger, G. and Frith, C. D. 2006. The substantia nigra pars compacta and temporal processing. Journal of Neuroscience 26(47), pp. 12266-12273. (10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2540-06.2006)

2005

Charman, T., Jones, C. R. G. and Marsden, A. 2005. Identifying clinical subgroups and associations between cognition and behaviour: Challenges for the experimental neuropsychology of autism. Cahiers de Psychologie Cognitive/ Current Psychology of Cognition 23(1-2), pp. 94-103.

2004

Jones, C. R. G., Rosenkranz, K., Rothwell, J. C. and Jahanshahi, M. 2004. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is essential in time reproduction: an investigation with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. Experimental Brain Research 158(3), pp. 366-372. (10.1007/s00221-004-1912-3)

Research topics

I believe that establishing both strengths and weaknesses at a basic perceptual level is an essential step in understanding how and why higher-level cognitive and behavioural difficulties or differences manifest in autism. My focus is particularly on sensory, temporal and emotion processing and uses a range of psychological and psychophysiological techniques. A key focus of my research in recent years has been on sensory processing in autism. Our purpose-build multi-sensory environment (commonly known as a sensory room), donated by Mike Ayres Design, is enabling novel research into the experience of multi-sensory environments for autistic people. Another strand of research builds on my background in temporal processing and focuses on the role that social synchrony, which is the spontaneous temporal alignment of behaviours that contribute to social communication, plays in some of the challenges autistic people can face when interacting with others.

Alongside this research, I am also interested how autism is perceived by both frontline professionals and the public, with a focus on the understanding of and attitudes towards autism. Our evidence-based educational film on the 'signs' of autism can be viewed on the Welsh Government's National Autism Team website. This work dovetails with work on developing instruments to help in the measurement of and identification of autistic traits, including the Signposting Questionnaire for Autism (SQ-A) (Jones et al., 2020) and the Adult Repetitive Behaviours Questionnaire (RBQ-2A) (Barret et al., 2015; Barret et al., 2018). Our Repetitive Behaviour Questionnaires can be freely access under the 'Resources' tab on the Wales Autism Research Centre website.

A final strand of work concerns co-occurrence in autism. In particular, we are exploring the overlap between autism and anorexia nervosa as part of the SEDAF project, including consideration of the way in which eating disorder services can best meet the needs of the autistic people in their care.

A undergraduate level (Psychology BSc), I am part of the teaching team delivering lectures and practicals for the Year 2 Developmental psychology module and also supervise final year projects.

At postgraduate level, I teach on the Master's in Children's Psychological Disorders. I am module co-ordintor for Neurodevelopmental disorders: Cognition and emotion, deliver a workshop on assessment in autism, and supervise dissertations.

In a teaching administrative capacity, I am one of the Year 1 Co-ordinators and the Postgraduate research (PGR) Teacing Co-ordinator.

Undergraduate education

1997: BSc Psychology, University College London (First Class Honours)

Postgraduate education

2005: PhD Cognitive Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology

Employment

I was employed as a research assistant in the MRC Human Movement and Balance Unit, UCL Institute of Neurology on a project investigating temporal processing with Professor Marjan Jahanshahi. This led to a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience in the Sobell Department of Motor Neuroscience and Movement Disorders, supervised by Professor Jahanshahi and Professor John Rothwell.

Following my PhD I took a post-doctoral position with Professor Tony Charman, at the UCL Institute of Child Health. I was employed to run a 3-year MRC funded project (Special Needs and Autism Project; SNAP) investigating the cognitive phenotype of autism. This was the largest investigation of its kind in the UK, testing 100 adolescents with ASD on over 50 measures of cognition and perception. My position was extended for a further 3 years and I moved with Professor Charman to the UCL Institute of Education, where he founded the Centre for Research in Autism and Education.

In 2011, I began my first lectureship position at the Department of Psychology, University of Essex, where I continued my research in both temporal processing and autism. In May 2013, I moved to the School of Psychology, Cardiff University as a lecturer, and in 2015 was promoted to Senior Lecturer. I became Director of the Wales Autism Research Centre in April 2019.

Anrhydeddau a dyfarniadau

Awards/external committees

2021- to date: Member, Welsh Government Autism National Advisory Group

2019- to date: Director, Evidence to Impact

2019: Healthcare Award at Cardiff University’s 21st Innovation and Impact Awards

2019: People’s Choice Award at Cardiff University’s 21st Innovation and Impact Awards

2019- 2020: Member, Welsh Government Assessment and Diagnosis Technical Group – Code of Practice for Autism

2018- to date: Member, Welsh Government Autism Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan – Implementation Advisory Group

2017- to date: Scientific Review Panel, Autistica

2015: The Employability Award, Enriching Student Life Awards, Cardiff University

Aelodaethau proffesiynol

Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society

International Society for Autism Research

Experimental Psychology Society

British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience

Postgraduate research interests

If you are interested in applying for a PhD, or for further information regarding my postgraduate research, please contact me directly (contact details available on the 'Overview' page), or submit a formal application.

Current PhD students

Charlotte Babb: Towards a succssefull treatment of anorexia nervosa in autistic women. Co-supervisor (40%) with Dr John Fox. Autistica funded project based at UCL and Cardiff University, for more details see: https://sedaf18.blogspot.com/

Claire Bowsher-Murray: Social synchrony in autism. Co-supervisor (50%) with Dr Elisabeth von dem Hagen.

Eleni Glarou: Understanding multi-party communication in therapy sessions for children with autism and sensory processing difficulties (part of supervisory team led by Dr Lucy Brookes-Howell and including Dr Rachel McNamara and Prof Monica Busse)

Goruchwyliaeth gyfredol

Claire Bowsher-murray

Myfyriwr ymchwil

Charli Babb

Myfyriwr ymchwil

Contact Details

JonesCR10@caerdydd.ac.uk
+44 29208 70684
Adeilad y Tŵr, Plas y Parc, Caerdydd, CF10 3AT

Gwella dysgu a lles plant awtistig

17 April 2023

Cyfieithiad Ffrangeg newydd o’r ffilm am arwyddion awtistiaeth yn mynd i 'helpu mwy o deuluoedd a gwella dealltwriaeth y cyhoedd o’r cyflwr'

13 June 2021

Gwobr i system sy'n nodi arwyddion awtistiaeth – SIGNS

15 May 2019

Dr Catherine Jones

Trosolwyg

Research summary

Cyhoeddiad

2024

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2020

2019

2018

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2016