Jiedi Lei
Paul Foundation Clinical Research Fellow
My research focuses on understanding the overlap between autistic traits and key cognitive and behavioural mechanisms that precipitate and maintain the development of co-occurring mental health difficulties in autistic children and young people (CYP). I am particularly interested in translating our understanding of such mechanisms to develop more effective ways of adapting existing and piloting novel interventions to improve mental health outcomes for autistic CYP.
My reserach fellowship project (based in TOPIC Group) aims to develop and validate a novel assessment tool to evaluate strengths profiles amongst autistic CYP, and to draw on their strengths to develop person-centred formulation that can inform the adaptation of treatment for co-occurring mental health difficulties.
I serve as the Chair for Student and Trainee Committee at the International Society for Autism Research.
Collaborators
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Cathy Creswell
Paul Foundation Professor of Developmental Clinical Psychology
Recent publications
Exploring the suitability of the Clark and Wells (1995) model of social anxiety in autistic adults: The role of mental imagery and fear of negative evaluation.
Journal article
Lei J. et al, (2026), Autism, 30, 228 - 244
What Do We Know about Character Strengths in Autistic People? A Systematic Review
Journal article
Lei J. and Krouzkova D., (2025), Current Developmental Disorders Reports, 12
Short Report: Evaluation of a pilot virtual workshop to support parents of autistic young people to learn about their children’s character strengths
Journal article
Lei J. et al, (2025), Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Psychological Interventions for Autistic Adolescentswith Co-Occurring Anxiety and Depression: Considerations Linked to Autism Social Identity and Masking.
Journal article
Lei J. et al, (2025), Autism Adulthood, 7, 663 - 670
The experiences of autistic adolescents in a dialectical behaviour therapy programme: a qualitative study utilising thematic analysis
Journal article
Lei J. et al, (2025), Cognitive Behaviour Therapist
