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Professor Stewart Einfeld

Professor Stewart Einfeld

Chair of Mental Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences
Senior Scientist, Brain and Mind Research Institute

Contact Details
Qualifications
Research Interests
Other Biographical Information
Selected Publications
Grant Activities
Research Student Supervision

Contact Details

Email:
Phone: +61 2 9351 9213 / +61 2 9351 0884
Fax: +61 2 9351 9166
Room: J222

Qualifications

  • Graduate Certificate in Management, Charles Sturt University, 2002.
  • Member, Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators, 1999.
  • Doctor of Medicine, University of Sydney, 1992.
  • Fellow, Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 1989.
  • Fellow of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, 1988.
  • Diploma of Child Health, Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, UK and London, 1977.
  • Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (Hons), University of Sydney, 1975.

Research Interests

  • Chief Investigator of the Australian Child to Adult Development (ACAD) Study, now in its 16th year. Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and National Institutes of Health. This study examines a broad range of biological, psychological and social factors of potential protection and vulnerability in the development of behavioural and emotional problems in children and adolescents with intellectual handicap. These include genetic, family, educational, vocational and residential aspects. A major report on the project was published in JAMA.
  • Further development of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist. Validation of the Communication subscale. Normative data for the DBC-Adult Version
  • Gene to behaviour pathways in genetic disorders causing intellectual disability.
  • Intervention studies arising from findings of the ACAD Study. Chief Investigator for study on early intervention for disruptive behaviours in young children, funded by NHMRC.
  • Youth suicide and other child and adolescent mental health issues.

Other

BMRI Developmental Psychiatry

Please email if any further information is required.

Other Biographical Information

Awards include the World Health Organisation Travelling Fellow, Australian Society for Psychiatric Research Junior Travel Award, National Research Prize from the Australian Society for Study of Intellectual Deficiency.

Professor Einfeld’s competitive grants total AU$5,583,936. Professor Einfeld is a co-chief investigator for the Australian Child to Adult Development Study, a 16 year longitudinal study of intellectual disability. This study has three times been awarded a further 5 years funding from the NH&MRC, as well as funding from the National Institutes of Health, USA..

Through advocacy, presentations and writings, Professor Einfeld has played a major role in promoting a re-emergence of interest in intellectual disability in the psychiatric profession in NSW in particular. He was an invited consultant to WHO for the Decade of the Disabled.

Selected Publications since 2000

Articles in Refereed Journals
1. Tonge, B., & Einfeld, S. (2000). The trajectory of emotional and behavioural disorders in young people with intellectual disabilities. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 34(1), 80-84.
2. Partington, M., Turner, G., Mowat, D., Einfeld, S., & Tonge, B. (2000). Genes on the X chromosome are important in the diagnosis of mental retardation. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 92, 57-61.
3. Dekker, M.C., Nunn, R.J., Koot, H.M., Einfeld, S.L., & Tonge, B.J. (2000). Reliability and validity of the developmental behaviour checklist in a Dutch sample. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 44(3-4), 263.
4. Einfeld, S. (2001). Systematic management approach to pharmacotherapy for people with learning disabilities. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 7, 43-49.
5. Einfeld, S. & Tonge, B. (2001). Longitudinal course of behavioural and emotional problems in Williams Syndrome. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 106(1), 73-81.
6. Tobin, M.J., Clarke, A., Buss, R., Einfeld, S.L., Beard, J., Dudley, M., Knowles, M. & Dietrick, U. (2001). From efficacy to effectiveness: managing organisational change to improve health services for young people with deliberate self harm behaviour. Australian Health Review, 24(2), 143-149.
7. Sigafoos, J., Einfeld, S. & Parmenter, T. (2001). An introduction to challenging behavior in children with intellectual disabilities. Special Education Perspectives, 10(2), 37-46.
8. Einfeld, S.L., Beard, J., Tobin, M., Buss, R., Dudley, M., Clarke, A.R., Knowles, M. & Hamilton, B (2002). Evidence-based practice for people who self-harm: can it be sustained and does in improve outcomes? Australian Health Review, 25(4), 178-188.
9. Brereton, A.V., Tonge, B.J., Mackinnon, A.J., Einfeld, S.L. (2002). Screening young people for autism with the Developmental Behavior Checklist. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol 41(11), 1369-1375.
10. Dekker, M.C., Nunn, R.J., Einfeld, S.E., Tonge, B.J., & Koot, H.M. (2002). Assessing emotional and behavioral problems in children with intellectual disability: Revisiting the factor structure of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Vol 32(6), 601-610.
11. Clarke, A.R., Tonge, B.J., Einfeld, S.L., Mackinnon, A. (2003). Brief Report: Assessment of Change with the Developmental Behaviour Checklist. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, Vol 47(3), 210-212.
12. Dudley, M., Beard, J., Clarke, A., Knowles, M., Buss, R., Schnieden, V., Einfeld, S.L., Tobin, M., Dietrich, U. (2003). Effectiveness of a ‘green card’ intervention for patients engaging in deliberate self-harm. Archives of Suicide Research, 7(2), 175-181.
13. Cooper, S., Melville, C.A. & Einfeld, S.L. (2003). Psychiatric Diagnosis, Intellectual Disabilities and DC-LD. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, Vol 47 (Supp 1), 3-15.
14. Clarke, A.R., Schnieden, V., Hamilton, B.A., Dudley, M., Beard, J., Einfeld, S.L., Buss, R., Tobin, M., Knowles, M., Stevens, G. & Gibbs, N. (2004). Factors associated with treatment compliance in young people following an emergency department presentation for deliberate self-harm. Archives of Suicide Research, 8:147-152.
15. Einfeld, S.L. (2004). Behaviour Phenotypes of Genetic Disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, Vol 17(5), 343-348.
16. Einfeld, S.L., Tobin, M., Beard, J., Evans, E., Buss, R., Dudley, M. (2004). Evidence based practice for young people who self harm: can it be sustained? – a 4-year follow-up. Australian Health Review, 27(2), 94-99.
17. Leitner, R., Barry, R., Clarke, A., Einfeld, S. (2005). Behavioural Aspects of Angelman Syndrome – A Case Control Study. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 132A(1), 8-12.
53. Einfeld, S. L. (2005). Behaviour Problems in Children with Genetic Disorders causing Intellectual Disability. Educational Psychology, Vol 25(2-3), 341-346.
54. Mohr, C., Tonge, B.J., Einfeld, S.L. (2005). The development of a new measure for the assessment of psychopathology in adults with intellectual disability Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 49(7), 469-480.
55. Kavanagh, S.J., Einfeld, S.L., Smith, A., Evans, E.J., Tonge, B.J. & Taffe, J. (2006). Mortality in Prader-Willi Syndrome. American Journal on Mental Retardation, Vol 111(3),
193-198.
56. Brereton, A.V., Tonge, B.J. & Einfeld, S.L. (2006). Psychopathology in children and adolescents with autism compared to young people with intellectual disability. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 36, 863-870.
57. Herring, S., Gray, K., Taffe, J., Tonge, B., Sweeney, D. & Einfeld, S. (2006). Behaviour and emotional problems in toddlers with pervasive developmental disorders and developmental delay: associations with parental mental health and family functioning. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 50(12), 874-882.
58. Einfeld, S.L., Piccinin, A.M., Mackinnon, A., Hofer, S.M., Taffe, J., Gray, K.M., Bontempo, D.E., Hoffman, L.R., Parmenter, T.,Tonge, B.J. (2006). Psychopathology in Young People with Intellectual Disability. JAMA, 296(16), 1981-1989.
59. Taffe, J.R., Gray, K.M., Einfeld, S.L., Dekker, M.C., Koot, H.M., Emerson, E., Koskentausta, T., Tonge, B.J. (2007). Short Form of the Developmental Behaviour Checklist. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 112(1), 31-39.

Book Chapters
60. Tonge, B.J. & Einfeld, S.L. (2003). Psychopathology and Intellectual Disability. The Australian Child to Adult Longitudinal Study. In L. Masters Glidden (ed.) International Review of Research in Mental Retardation, Volume 26 (pp 61-91). California: Academic Press
61. Einfeld, S.L., Tonge, B.J., Gray, K.M., Taffe, J. (2007). Evolution of Symptoms and Syndromes of Psychopathology in Young People with Mental Retardation. In R.M. Hodapp and R. Urbano (Eds). International Review of Research in Mental Retardation, 33, 247-265.

Grant Activities since 2000

  • Longitudinal Study of Behaviour and Emotional Problems in Young People with Intellectual Disabilities, NHMRC, 2000-2004, $736,000; S. Einfeld, B. Tonge, T. Parmenter.
  • Evidenced Based Practice for Young People who Self Harm: Can it be Sustained and Does it Improve Outcomes - A Two-Year Follow-up, 2001-2, NHMRC, $9,700; with M. Tobin, J. Beard, M. Dudley.
  • Parent Education for the Treatment of Severe Behaviour Problems in Children with Developmental Disabilities, NHMRC, 2002-2004, $121,000; J. Sigafoos, S. Einfeld, T. Parmenter.
  • Data analysis of Longitudinal Study of Psychopathology in Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Handicap, National Institutes of Health, Washington, USA, 2002-2003, $US300,000 = approx. $AUS520,000; B. Tonge, S. Einfeld, A. McKinnon, S. Hofer.
  • Genetic Causes of Intellectual Disability, UNSW Faculty Research Grants Program, 2003, $20,000; D. Mowat, S. Einfeld, G. Turner.
  • Early detection of infants and young children with autism, NH&MRC (236834) 2003, $87,500; 2004, $82,500; 2005, $82,500; B. Tonge, K. Gray, S. Einfeld.
  • Microarray screening for DNA deletions causing intellectual disability, UNSW Faculty Research Grants Program, 2004, $16,500; D. Mowat, S. Einfeld, G. Turner.
  • Diagnosis and treatment of depression in adults with intellectual disability through general practitioner and psychiatric collaboration, Beyondblue – The Victorian Centre of Excellence in Depression and Related Disorders, 2003-2004, $50,000; J. Torr, M. Burbidge, J. Galea, B. Tonge, S. Einfeld, T. Iacono.
  • Behaviour Problems in Adults with Intellectual Disability, Apex Foundation for Research into Intellectual Disability Limited, 2005, $40,097; S. Einfeld, B. Tonge, C. Mohr.
  • An Investigation of the cognitive and behavioural phenotype of Mowat-Wilson syndrome, UNSW Faculty Research Grant, 2005, $16,000; S. Einfeld, D. Mowat.
  • Mowat-Wilson syndrome investigations. $15,000 D. Mowat, S. Einfeld, Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, 2005.
  • Continuity and Change in the development of young people with intellectual disability, ARC Discovery Project, 2005, $70,000; 2006 $60,000; 2007 $55,000; K. Gray, B. Tonge, S. Einfeld.
  • Continuing Grant Application: Risk Factors for Psychopathology Using Existing Data Sets: Psychopathology in Young People with Mental Retardation. S. Hofer, B. Tonge , S. Einfeld, A. Mackinnon, A. Piccinin, D. Bontempo, K. Gray, F. Lawrence, J. Taffe. National Institutes of Health, USA. US $63 750/yr for 3 years
  • Normative study of a checklist of emotional and behavioural disturbance in adults with intellectual disability. B. Tonge, S. Einfeld, C. Mohr. ARC Linkage Grant, 2006 $136,740, 2007, $136,740, 2008, $136,740.
  • Further evaluating the effectiveness of a parent-training program for children with developmental disabilities and severe behaviour problems. S. Einfeld. Financial Markets Foundation for Children, 2005, $16,129.
  • A longitudinal study of psychopathology in people with intellectual disability. B. Tonge, S.Einfeld, T. Parmenter. NHMRC. 2006-2010 $962,250.
  • The role of ZFHX1b mutations in the cognitive and behavioural phenotype of Mowat-Wilson Syndrome. D. Mowat, S. Einfeld, M. Buckley (AI), M. Wilson (AI), E. Evans (AI). Sydney Children’s Hospital, 2006, $15,000.
  • The Economic Cost of Intellectual Disability in Australia. S. Einfeld, B. Tonge, C. Doran. The Apex Foundation for Research into Intellectual Disability Ltd, 2007, $20,000.
  • Consumers as collaborative researchers: A model training program. Bundy A, Einfeld S, Hancock N, Ramjan R, McMahon M, Tansett S, Waghorn G, Beltran R. Australian Rotary Health Research Fund. 2007; $31,431.

Research Student Supervision

Completed:

  • Supervisor, RANZCP and RACP Dissertations (Drs Evans, McDermott, Stephens, Kavanagh, Selig, Chapman)
    Ph.D. Neural Networks in Psychiatry. University of New South Wales
  • Ph.D. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children. University of New South Wales
  • Ph.D. Behavioural and Cognitive phenotype of the Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, Ph. D. Autism across three cultures

Current:

  • Ph.D. Behavioural and Cognitive phenotype of the Mowat-Wilson Syndrome, Ph. D. Autism across three cultures