Going digital: tools for identification and support for neurodevelopmental disorders within the transdiagnostic framework

Objective

Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) show highly heterogeneous behavioural, cognitive and brain profiles with much larger overlap between, e.g., dyslexia, dyscalculia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), than assumed by current diagnostic approaches. It remains unclear how the individual profiles of deficits and strengths result in child specific idiosyncratic development. Besides relying on discrete categories, the current diagnostic approaches assume relatively stable NDD symptoms across development while recent findings suggest more dynamic changes in the symptoms across development. The interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral Tools4NDDs consortium aims to employ recent technological advancements to better understand the heterogeneous and dynamic nature of NDDs. Our consortium utilizes the advances in transdiagnostic research, as well as the potential of digital technological solutions to improve diagnostic and intervention tools for NDDs. The general objective is to better integrate the transdiagnostic framework in translating empirical findings to available and emerging tools while taking into account children’s divergent sociodemograpic backgrounds. Knowledge transfer, training and research on this is carried out through secondments, online work groups and library as well as yearly workshops. Our transdiagnostic approach has great potential in improving both the understanding of the dynamical mechanisms underlying NDDs, and ultimately, the development of personalized diagnostic practice and intervention designs. As long-term outcomes, to promote much needed innovations towards early, personalized, and effective identification and support for children with NDDs, thereby improving their quality-of-life.