POLICY EVIDENCE
1. NSW Health Commissioned evidence review on the ‘First 2000 days framework’ as part of the implementation strategy in collaboration with other Government departments -2020 https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/programs/Factsheets/brighter-beginnings.pdfhttps://www.health.nsw.gov.au/kidsfamilies/programs/Factsheets/brighter-beginnings.pdf
2. NSW Health commissioned evidence review on Adverse Childhood Experiences: Cibralic, S., Alam, M., Mendoza Diaz, A., Woolfenden, S., Eapen, V., Katz, I., Tzioumi, D., Murphy, E., Deering, A., McNamara, L., & Raman, S., (2021). Assessing for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in children, adolescents, and young people attending clinical and healthcare settings: NSW Health.
PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS
Our recent publications
2026
McHugh C., John JR., Wu WT., Eapen V. (2026). The Spectrum of Neurodevelopmental disorders: Comorbidities as clues to pathogenesis. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. DOI: 10.1097/YCO.0000000000001068 Jan 2026
Ostojic, K., Chiu, S., Takchi, S., Burnett, H., Scott, T., Waugh, M.C., Berg, A., Hodgins, M., Killedar, A., Khan, J. and Henry, G., (2026). EPIC-ND: a multi-site, randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of social prescribing for the unmet social needs of children with a neurodisability and their parent/carers–a study protocol. BMJ Paediatrics Open, 10(1), p.e003847. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2026 Feb 3;10(1):e003847. doi: 10.1136/bmjpo-2025-003847
Wu WT., John JR., Mendoza Diaz A., Eapen V. (2026). Occurrence of mental health challenges and their association with autistic traits, cognitive level, and adaptive functioning in autistic pre-school children. BJPsych Open. DOI: 10.1192/bjo.2025.10966 Jan 2026
Page T., Eapen V., Dadds M., Barnett B., Silove D., Mendoza Diaz A., Kohlhoff J. (2025). Relational continuity in early childhood: linkages of maternal sensitivity in infancy, preschool-age children’s attachment narratives, and social behaviour. Early Child Development and Care. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2025.2603276. Dec2025.
Cibralic S., Wu WT., Ahinkorah B., Lam Cassetari C., Woolfenden S., Kohlhoff J., Grace R., Kemp L., Johnson P., Murphy E., Deering A., Raman S., Eapen V. (2026). Home visiting interventions and their impact on mental health, psychosocial, and practicing practice outcomes of vulnerable caregivers: A systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal Environmental Research Public Health.23(1), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph23010063 Jan 2026.
John JR., Winata T., Wang S., Smead M., Wu WT., Kohlhoff J., Schmied V., Jalaludin B., Lawson K., Siaw TL., Lingam R., Page A., Lam Cassettari C., Boydell K., Lin PI., Katz I., Dadich A., Raman S., Grace R., Doyle AK., McClean T., Di Mento B., Preddy J., Woolfenden S., Eapen V. (2026). Identifying subgroups with differential levels of service response to a digital screening and service navigation program for unmet social care needs. PLOS One. January 7, 2026 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0332790
Chan NY., John JR., Mathew NE., Masi A., Only LK., Eapen V., Lin PI., Walker AK. (2026). The relationship between chronic stress, co-occurring conditions, sleep, and autistic features including severity using hair cortisol concentration. Psycho neuroendorinolgy. 186:107769 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2026.107769 April 2026.
John JR., Chua A., Eapen V. (2026). Maternal and paternal differences in parental stress and children’s autistic features among parents of preschool autistic children. Autism: International Journal of Research and Practice. doi: 10.1177/13623613261427131
Rees Susan, Eapen V et al (2026). Trajectories of intimate partner violence, common mental disorders and functioning amongst women of reproductive age in post-conflict Timor-Leste. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry (accepted).
Castem Copoaco A., Eapen V., et al. (2026). Hybrid Ensemble Learning for Autism Spectrum Disorder Screening Using Eye-Tracking Scanpath. Array. (accepted)
Hodgins M., Ostojic O., Edwards K., Lawson K., Hu N., Lyle K., Jubelin M., Arora A., Baird K., Dadich A., Eapen V., Henry A., Hopwood N., Kohlhoff j., O’Loughlin G., Lingam R., Rogers H., Raman S., Rimes T., Woolfenden S., , On Behalf of the FDCC Collaborative Group. (2026). The Prevalence International Journal of Integrated Care (accepted).
John JR., Robinson H., Lambiase S., Nicholls S., Diez M., Barr K., Ostojic K., Doyle K., Kliendienst L., Foster M., Syron L., Carson T., Kohlhoff J., Dadich A., Brennan C., Katsamangos B., Kemp L., Finaly-Jones A., O’Loughlin., Boydell K., Raman S., Deen N., Lawson K., Schmied V., Katz I., Page A., Grace R., Kanaan AM., Young R., Brandtman E., Bratel L., Hodgins M., Lingam R., Lam-Cassettari C., Goldfeld S., Walker AK., Lin PI., Morton S., Silva D., Downs J., Woolfenden S., Eapen V. (2026). Codesign and knowledge translation of the Strength-based, Tiered, Accessible Resources and Supports (STARS) for Kids study to identify and support child development, parental mental wellbeing, and family psychosocial needs – A mixed-methods research protocol. BMJ Paediatrics Open. BMJ Paediatrics Open 10(1) DOI: 10.1136/bmjpo-2025-004031
Rahaman Kh., Mills C., Gebremariam RB., John JR., Subhramanium M., Ekanayake K., Eapen V., Amora A. (2026). Prevalence and risk factors of neurodevelopmental disorders among migrant and refugee preschool children in high-income western countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. Review Journal of Autism and Developmental.
2025
Kallapiran K., Suetani S., Cobham V., Eapen V., Scott J. (2025). Impact of Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs): A systematic review of longitudinal studies. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. Doi:10.1007/s10578-024-01807-x
John JR., Khan JR., Middleton PM., Huang Y., Ping-I Lin., Hu N., Jalaludin B., Chay P., Lingam R., Eapen V. (2025). Mental health help-seeking behaviours among children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities in a multicultural urban Australian population. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 59;2 doi:10.1177/00048674241310702. Jan 2025
Hodgins M., Ostojic K., Rimes T., Edwards K., Lawso K., Fonseka M., Crespo C., Lyle K., Dadich A., Eapen V., Grace R., Green M., Henry A., Hopwood N., Kaplun C., Kohlhoff J., Raman S., Szanto T., Woolfenden S. (2025). The building blocks for successful Hub implementation for migrant and refugee families and their children in the first 2000 days of life. Health Expectations. 28;1; e70082. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.70082
Myat P., John JR., Montgomery A., Eapen V. (2025). Sociocultural and Perinatal Health Factors Associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Children. Comprehensive Psychiatry 19:138:152576. doi: 10.1016/j.comppsych.2025.152576
Eapen V., Dadds M., Whitehouse A., Mallitt K., Masi A., Montgomery A., Lin PI., Lam-Cassettari C., Azim SI., Wong TY. (2025). Co-Design of the Neurodevelopment Assessment Scale. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 4-2025; https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frcha.2025.1497632 28th Jan 2025.
Wall E., Eapen V., (2025). ‘Nurturing Tomorrow: Mental Health Impact on Children and Youth due to Climate Change’ The Australian Journal of General Practice. 54;1-2 Doi: 10.31128/AJGP-06-24-7305. Jan 2025
Harris A., Barton M., Waniganayake L., Eapen V., Hamrosi M. (2025). Heat and Mental Health. The Australian Journal of General Practice. 54;1-2. Doi: 10.31128/AJGP-07-24-7336. Jan 2025
Khan J., John J., Middleton P., Huang Y., Lin P., Hu N., Jalaudin B., Chay P., Lingam R., Eapen V. (2025). Factors Associated with Extended Length of Stay for Paediatric Mental Health Presentations to Emergency Departments in South Western Sydney, Australia. Emergency Medicine Australasia. 37;e70003, Doi: https://doi. 10.20944/preprints202302.0008.v1 Jan 2025
Harris S., Eapen V., Kohlhoff J. (2025). Differences Between Men and Women Accessing an Australian Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Care Navigation Service – Why Do Fathers Seek Help? Infant Mental Health Journal. 2025;1-11 http://doi.org/10.1002/imhj.70012 17th Feb 2025
Alizadeh S., Bridge C., Eapen V., Judd B. (2025). Development and validation of the Housing Environmental Quality Assessment Tool (HEQAT) for children with ADHD using the Delphi process. Spatium. 24;52; 65-76; Doi; https://doi.org/10.2298/SPAT220923013A Feb 2025
Efron D., Taylor K., Chan E., Payne JM., Prakash C., Lee K., Cranswick N., Lin PI., Eapen V. (2025). A Pilot Randomized Placebo-Controlled Crossover Trial of Medicinal Cannabis in Adolescents with Tourette Syndrome. Cannabis & Cannabinoid Research. DOI: 10.1089/can.2024.0188, March 17,2025
Eapen V., Lin PI., Taylor K., Chan E., Cranswick N., Ka A., Khan F., Payne JM., Prakash C., Velalagan, R., Efron D. (2025). Medicinal cannabis for tics in adolescents with Tourette Syndrome. BJPsych Open. 11,e145,1-3 doi: https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2025.35. July 2025.
Singh R., Leung S., Rosie., Sawrikar V., McHugh C., Hu N., Ardill-Young O., Lingam R., Eapen V., Hodgins M., Curtis J. (2025). Increasing youth peer workers’ impact through integration: Peer worker perspectives on best practice in youth mental health”. Health Expectations. 28;2;e70223 DOI: 10.1111/hex.70223 March 2025.
John JR., Lam-Cassettari C., Dissanayake C., Eapen V. (2025). Sociodemographic and clinical indicators associated with quality of life among parents of autistic children. BMC Pediatrics. (2025) 25:326 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05682-w May 2025.
Cibralic S., Wu WT., Ahinkorah B., Lam Cassetari C., Woolfenden S., Kohlhoff J., Grace R., Kemp L., Johnson P., Murphy E., Deering A., Raman S., Eapen V. (2025). Systematic review and meta‑analysis of home visiting interventions aimed at enhancing child mental health, psychosocial, and developmental outcomes in vulnerable families. BMC Pediatrics. (2025) 25:314 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-025-05580-1
Strom, N.I., Gerring, Z.F., Galimberti, M., Yu, D., Halvorsen, M.W., Abdellaoui, A., Rodriguez-Fontenla, C., Sealock, J.M., Bigdeli, T., Coleman, J.R. and Mahjani, B. (2025). Genome-wide analyses identify 30 loci associated with obsessive–compulsive disorder. Nature genetics, 57(6), pp.1389-1401. doi: 10.1101/2024.03.13.24304161
Hawker P., Barr KR., Winata T., Wang S., Smead M., Kohlhoff J., Schmeid V., Jalaludin B., Lawson K., Liaw S., Lingam R., Page A., Lam-Cassettari C., Boydell K., Lin PI., Katz I., Dadich A., Raman S., Grace R., Doyle AK., McClean T., Di Mento B., Preddy J., Woolfenden S.., Eapen V. (2025). Parent and Service Provider Perspectives of a Digital Developmental Surveillance and Service Navigation Program in Rural Australia: A Qualitative Study” https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6373635/v1 In preprint
Bernie C., Montgomery A., Sealy L., Descallar J., Dissanayake C., Jalaludin B., Murphy E., Woolfenden S., William K., Eapen V. (2025). Sensitivity and Specificity of Developmental Surveillance and Autism Screening in an Australian Multicultural Cohort: The Watch Me Grow Study. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06859-z. 20th May 2025.
Harris SA., Arnall J., Walls P., Leuenberger M., Hughes M., Cook a., Eapen V., Kohlhoff J. (2025). Using care navigation to connect Australian families with perinatal and infant mental health support. ForWhen Case studies. Perspectives in Infant Mental Health World Association for Infant Mental Health. Spring 33;1. https://perspectives.waimh.org/2025/05/09/from-the-editor-in-chief-issue-vol-33-no-1-spring-2025/. May 2025.
Ostojic K., Hu N., Hodgins M., Lawson K., Jubelin M., Rogers HJ., Hopwood N., Henry A., Kaplan C., Kholhoff J., Baird K., Dadich A., Szanto T., Lingam R., Raman D., Eapen V., Rimes T., Woolfenden S., FDCC Collaborative Group. (2025). Integrated Health-Social Hubs for Migrant Women and Infants. Pediatrics. 2025;156(S1):e2025070739A Doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-070739A Sept 2025
Barr KR., Nikolovski J., John JR., White L., Elliott S., McCartney L., Treagold C., Vernon B., Eapen V. (2025). Validating a co-designed paediatric patient reported experience measure: A Study protocol. BMJ Paediatrics Open 2025;9:e003490. doi:10.1136/bmjpo-2025-003490 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12315035/ 14th July 2025
Azim SI., Mallitt KA., Wong TY., Lin PI., Cassettari C., Masi A., Mendoza Diaz A., Montgomery A., McHUgh C., Whitehouse A., Dads MR., Eapen V. (2025). Co-Occurring Neurodevelopmental Conditions in Children: Advocating for Transdiagnostic Approach to Assessments”. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-06983-w 13 August 2025
Nicholls S., Carson T., Witchard R., kliendienst L., Foster M., Diez M., Ostojic K., Eapen V., Katsamangos B., Woolfenden S., Doyle AK., Rangi J., ACCG., Sinclair R., Bungie AI., Russell S., Brennan C. (2025). The Story of First Steps Count Child and Community Centre – a place-based hub in Taree, rural NSW. Australian Journal of Community Work. https://communitywork.org.au/ajcw/
Honisett S., Lingam R., Eapen V., Oldenburg B., Hackworth N., Hiscock H., Charalamboug G., Minton L., Pringle G., Woolfenden S., Dalzeil K., Eastwood J., Goldfeld S. (2025). Child and Family eHub – A Novel Digital Solution to Improve the Mental Health of Australian Children: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Evaluation of Feasibility and Acceptability.” JMIR Publications. 2025;14:e72548 doi: 10.2196/72548. 13th November 2025
John JR., Winata T., Wang S., Smead M., Wu WT., Kohlhoff J., Schmied V., Jalaudin B., Lawson K., Siaw TL., Lingam R., Page A., Lam Cassettari C., Boydell K., Lin PI., Katz I., Dadich A., Raman S., Grace R., Doyle AK., McClean T., Di Mento B.,Preddy J., Woolfenden S., Eapen V. (2025). Determinants of unmet social needs and the role of parental mental health in families from multicultural and regional/rural communities of Australia. MedRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.03.25335048 Reprint Sept 5th 2025
John JR., Winata T., Wang S., Smead M., Wu WT., Kohlhoff J., Schmied V., Jalaudin B., Lawson K., Siaw TL., Lingam R., Page A., Lam Cassettari C., Boydell K., Lin PI., Katz I., Dadich A., Raman S., Grace R., Doyle AK., McClean T., Di Mento B.,Preddy J., Woolfenden S., Eapen V. (2025). Identifying subgroups with differential levels of service response to a digital screening and service navigation program for unmet social care needs. MedRxiv. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.09.07.25335288 Reprint
Cibralic S., Barker L., Hawker P., Tong B., Williams K., Elliott EJ., Bellgrove M., Silk T., Anderson V., Kohn M., Sciberras E., Eapen V. (2025). Systematic review: the impact of policy levers on mental health service utilization and access for Autistic children. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health. 19:109 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00963-9
Barker L., Wang SS., Huda MDN., John JR., Wu WT., Lin PI., Eapen V. (2025) Community-Based Mental Health Interventions for Reducing Youth Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. BMC Psychiatry. 2025) 25:1041. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-07527-3
Zouki, J.,Wu WT., Stylianakis A., Eapen V. (2025). “Genetic underpinnings of obsessive-compulsive disorder with and without tics: Implications of genetic heterogeneity on clinical management”. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B: Neuropsychiatric Genetics. Doi https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.b.33068 Nov 2025
Rahaman Kh., Eapen V., Subramanium M., John JR., Ekanayake K., Arora A. (2025). Prevalence and risk factors of neurodevelopmental disorders among migrant and refugee preschool children in high-income western countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol. PLOS ONE. November 24, 2025 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0314333
Cibralic S., Stammbach TF., Landry A., Meredith L., Pretty D., Allan A., OlsenN., Heath J., Costa D., Eapen V. (2025). A Mixed-Methods Evaluation Protocol for the Nurturing Connections Program: A New Australian Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Service. BMJ Open. 15;12 Doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-108094 4th Dec 2025
Cibralic S., Eapen V. (2025). Editorial: Early Identification of Developmental Delays: Are Two Stage Screeners the Next Logical Step? Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(25)02195-1/abstract Nov 2025
John JR., Pickup W., Mendoza-Diaz A., Cibralic S., Heys A., Schmied V., Barnett B., Eapen V. (2025). Feasibility and preliminary efficacy of enhanced midwifery care to support women experiencing subclinical depression: A pilot randomised controlled trial. IJERPH. 8;22(12):1835. doi: 10.3390/ijerph22121835 Dec 2025
Honisett, S., Williams I., Ding J., Woolfenden S., Minton L., Lingam R., Hackworth N., Eapen V., Eastwood J., Goldfeld S. (2025). How do families experiencing adversity seek information and services to support their child’s mental health? A qualitative study. Health Promotion Journal of Australia. DOI: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hpja.70151
