Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry which has a diverse research program studying both common and rarer, severe disorders that start in childhood often persisting into adulthood. The disorders studied in the Department include: autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder, affective disorders, substance misuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, intellectual disability, as well as childhood neglect and maltreatment and deliberate self-harm. We aim to improve our understanding of how mental disorders develop, including understanding their environmental causes, genetics, neurobiology, neuropharmacology and behavioural and cognitive deficits and establish methods of treatment and prevention. Our research extends into risk factors (both biological and environmental) for the development of disorders and treatment strategies. Members of the Department use a range of scientific methods, including epidemiology, behaviour and molecular genetics, neuroimaging, neuropsychopharmacology and clinical trials.