Melanie McConnell

Research: Tic Busters group pilot study
This pilot study evaluates treatment outcomes of a group adaptation of an evidence-based treatment for tics in school age children.

Facing Your Fears treatment outcome study
This study evaluates creative ways to assess anxiety in children with high-functioning autism. It also aims to better understand parent and child factors that increase treatment response to a cognitive-behavioural anxiety treatment group for children with high-functioning autism.

Grants

2012
Mental Health Research Grant ($30,000)

Honours & Awards

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
2001-2004

Stories See all

BCCHR laboratories hosting Indigenous students for seed2STEM program

For the first time, BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR) is participating as one of the host institutes in the seed2STEM program — a research summer program that aims to increase participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) among Indigenous youth.

Continue reading BCCHR laboratories hosting Indigenous students for seed2STEM program

Congratulations CIHR Spring 2025 Project Grant recipients

Congratulations to the investigators and their teams who were awarded funding through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Spring 2025 Project Grant competition.

Continue reading Congratulations CIHR Spring 2025 Project Grant recipients

Redefining self-care for a more communal and inclusive experience

Self-care is the ability to promote health, prevent diseases, and cope with illness, with or without the support of health-care workers. If expanded into more communal and equitable activities rooted in joy and connection, it could feel more inclusive and realistic, especially for children and youth experiencing tough circumstances.

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Study reveals that sucrose may not reduce the impact of neonatal pain exposure on long-term outcomes

Infants born two to four months early are exposed to mildly painful procedures in the NICU that are essential to monitor their health. As research shows that exposure to daily pain is associated with poorer behavioural and cognitive outcomes later in life, a common pain management strategy is to give those babies sucrose, but a BCCHR study shows evidence that a sugar solution doesn’t reduce these negative effects of pain exposure in the long term.

Continue reading Study reveals that sucrose may not reduce the impact of neonatal pain exposure on long-term outcomes

Evidence links iron deficiency to sleep-wake disorders

A recent study led by Dr. Osman Ipsiroglu found evidence that sleep-wake behaviours are characteristics associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. Additionally, a family history of iron deficiency increases the risk of sleep-wake disorders.

Continue reading Evidence links iron deficiency to sleep-wake disorders

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