Laurie McLay

Doctoral advisorJohn Church, Dean SutherlandOther advisorsJohn ChurchAcademic workInstitutionsUniversity of Canterbury, University of Canterbury

Laura-Lee Kathleen McLay is a New Zealand academic, and is a full professor at the University of Canterbury, specialising in research on sleep disorders, communication and behvaioural assessments in autistic children.

McLay completed a master's degree titled Acquisition, generalisation and retention of object names in 4 year old children: a comparison of child-led and adult-led learning interactions at the University of Canterbury, followed by a PhD titled A study of teaching strategies that facilitate stimulus generalisation in children with autism in 2011.^[1][2] McLay then joined the faculty of the University of Canterbury, where she was promoted to full professor in 2022.^[3]

McLay leads the Waiora Tamariki Programme, which is a nationwide research and clinical delivery service that aims to "promote the health and wellbeing of children on the autism spectrum and their whānau".^[4][5] In 2017, McLay was one of thirteen researchers to receive an emerging researcher first grant from the Health Research Council, to research effective treatments for sleep disorders in autistic children. According to McLay, up to 83% of autistic children experience some form of sleep disturbance, but there are few evidence-based treatments available.^[6][7][8][9] McLay has since been part of a research team that received a one-year HRC grant to establish the research priorities of end-users in the autism community.^[10] She also researches Functional Behavioural Assessments, toilet training and communication systems for autistic children.^[11]

• Jeff Sigafoos; Giulio E. Lancioni; Mark F. O’Reilly; et al. (August 2013). "Teaching two boys with autism spectrum disorders to request the continuation of toy play using an iPad®-based speech-generating device". Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 7 (8): 923–930. doi:10.1016/J.RASD.2013.04.002. ISSN 1750-9467. Wikidata Q124795840.
• Llyween Couper; Larah van der Meer; Martina C M Schäfer; et al. (6 January 2014). "Comparing acquisition of and preference for manual signs, picture exchange, and speech-generating devices in nine children with autism spectrum disorder". Developmental Neurorehabilitation. 17 (2): 99–109. doi:10.3109/17518423.2013.870244. ISSN 1751-8423. PMID 24392652. Wikidata Q50344986.
• Donna Achmadi; Jeff Sigafoos; Larah van der Meer; et al. (1 May 2014). "Acquisition, Preference, and Follow-up Data on the Use of Three AAC Options by Four Boys with Developmental Disability/Delay" (PDF). Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 26 (5): 565–583. doi:10.1007/S10882-014-9379-Z. ISSN 1056-263X. Wikidata Q124795839.
• Laurie Kathleen McLay; Dean Sutherland; John Church; Gaye Tyler-Merrick (February 2013). "The formation of equivalence classes in individuals with autism spectrum disorder: A review of the literature". Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 7 (2): 418–431. doi:10.1016/J.RASD.2012.11.002. ISSN 1750-9467. Wikidata Q124795836.
• Laurie McLay; Larah van der Meer; Martina C. M. Schäfer; et al. (16 December 2014). "Comparing Acquisition, Generalization, Maintenance, and Preference Across Three AAC Options in Four Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder" (PDF). Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities. 27 (3): 323–339. doi:10.1007/S10882-014-9417-X. ISSN 1056-263X. Wikidata Q124795835.
• Hien Vu; Nicholas Bowden; Sheree Gibb; et al. (4 February 2024). "Mortality risk among Autistic children and young people: A nationwide birth cohort study". Autism. doi:10.1177/13623613231224015. ISSN 1362-3613. Wikidata Q124795789.
• Laurie McLay; Dean Sutherland; Wendy Machalicek; Jeff Sigafoos (30 January 2020). "Systematic Review of Telehealth Interventions for the Treatment of Sleep Problems in Children and Adolescents". Journal of Behavioral Education. 29 (2): 222–245. doi:10.1007/S10864-020-09364-8. ISSN 1053-0819. Wikidata Q124795795.

• Telehealth-delivered health-promoting interventions for children on the autism spectrum, "Lunch and learn" session by Laurie McLay