First-degree relatives of 99 autism probands and of 36 Down's syndrome controls were assessed with standardised tests of intellectual functioning, reading, and spelling. Higher mean verbal IQ scores, and discrepancies in favour of verbal scores, were characteristic of autism relatives. No consistent differences were found on performance scales, reading, and spelling tests. Among autism relatives, siblings affected with the broad phenotype of autism had significantly lower IQ scores and poorer reading and spelling performances than unaffected siblings. However, the small size of the cognitive difference and the lack of a distinctive cognitive profile indicates that standardised cognitive measures used in this study are unlikely to improve the operationalised definition of the broad phenotype of autism. The slightly superior verbal performance of relatives in the autism group might represent some form of heterozygote advantage.

Objective To identify factors that affected the decision of pregnant women at high risk for pre‐eclampsia (PE) in accepting or declining participation in a medicated clinical trial (ASPRE) for the prevention of preterm PE. Method This was a qualitative, cross‐sectional study. A purposive sample of 14 participants and 13 decliners of the ASPRE trial were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed using template analysis. Results For participants, their high‐risk status seems to have motivated them to take part in the trial. This was enabled by their perception that the trial drug aspirin was commonly used, the safety of the procedure, and the belief that they will be in receipt of extra monitoring in pregnancy. Decliners expressed discomfort about taking medications in pregnancy, and about the presence of the placebo arm; they seemed to be motivated by desire to reduce harm. Satisfaction with the information provided by the medical professionals was also influential in women's decision making, and so were the views of their partners and other trusted individuals. Conclusion Pregnant women's motivation to take part or to decline participation in a medicated trail can be understood as an attempt to cope with the threat posed by their high‐risk status.

Background. Museums can serve as rich resources for families to learn about the social world through engagement with exhibits and parent-child conversation about exhibits. Aims. This study examined ways of engaging parents and child about two related exhibits at a cultural and history museum. Sample participants consisted of families visiting the Animal Antics and the Gone Potty exhibits at the British Museum. Methods. Whilst visiting two exhibits at the British Museum, 30 families were assigned to use a backpack of activities, 13 were assigned to a booklet of activities, and 15 were assigned to visit the exhibits without props (control condition). Results. Compared to the families in the control condition, the interventions increased the amount of time parents and children engaged together with the exhibit. Additionally, recordings of the conversations revealed that adults asked more questions related to the exhibits when assigned to the two intervention conditions compared to the control group. Children engaged in more historical talk when using the booklets than in the other two conditions. Conclusions. The findings suggest that providing support with either booklets or activities for children at exhibits may prove beneficial to parent-child conversations and engagement with museum exhibits. © The British Psychological Society

No abstract

No abstract