Our experts

Area of Expertise

• Autism spectrum disorders
• Emotional and behavioural problems in neurodevelopmental conditions
• Psychological treatment of anxiety & depression

 

Biography

Dr Hollocks is a Clinical Psychologist in the Neuropsychiatry and Challenging Behaviour Team and a Visiting Lecturer in the Department for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London.  

Dr Hollocks undertook research training at the Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London, completing a PhD investigating co-occurring anxiety in children with autism. This was followed by a period of post-doctoral research at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Cambridge. Here he conducted research investigating the brain changes associated with depression and apathy in neurological diseases. He then completed his training in clinical psychology, including a specialist placement at the Cambridge Centre for Paediatric Neuropsychological Rehabilitation.

Dr Hollocks is actively involved in research aiming to understand why autistic young people have high rates of mental health difficulties, and how best to develop and improve psychological interventions for those with neurodevelopmental conditions.

 

Education and Training

• MSc Paediatric Neuropsychology, University College London, 2009
• PhD Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, King’s College London, 2014
• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, University of East Anglia, 2018

 

Publications

Selected publications:

Ozsivadjian A, Hollocks MJ, Magiati I, Happé F, Baird G & Absoud M. in press. Is cognitive inflexibility a missing link? The role of cognitive inflexibility, alexithymia and intolerance of uncertainty in externalising and internalising behaviours in young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Journal of Child Psychiatry & Psychology.

Lau, B. Y., Leong, R., Uljarevic, M., Lerh, J. W., Rodgers, J., Hollocks, M. J., ... & Libove, R. (2019). Anxiety in young people with autism spectrum disorder: Common and autism-related anxiety experiences and their associations with individual characteristics. Autism. EPub ahead of print.

Hollocks MJ, Casson R, White C, Dobson J, Beazley P, Humphrey A (2019). Brief Report: An Evaluation of the Social Communication Questionnaire as a Screening Tool for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young People Referred to Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services. Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 49(6), 2618-2623

Hollocks MJ, Lerh JW, Magiati I, Meiser-Stedman R, Brugha TS (2019). Anxiety and Depression in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine, Mar;49(4):559-572.

Carruthers S, Kent R, Hollocks MJ, Simonoff E. (2018). Brief report: Testing the psychometric properties of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) in autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. EPub ahead of print.

Magiati I, Lerh JW, Hollocks MJ, Uljarevic M, Rodgers J, McConachie H, Ozsivadjian A, South M, Van Hecke A, Hardan A, Libove R, Leekam S, Simonoff E (2017). The measurement properties of the spence children's anxiety scale-parent version in a large international pooled sample of young people with autism spectrum disorder. Autism Research, 10(10) 1629-1652.
with executive dysfunction in cerebral small vessel disease. PLoS One, May 11;12(5).

Flamarique I, Santosh P, Zuddas, Arango C……et al. STOP Consortium (2017). Development and psychometric properties of the Suicidality: Treatment Occurring in Paediatrics (STOP) Suicidality Assessment Scale (STOP-SAS) in children and adolescents. BMC Pediatrics, Dec 13;16(1):213.

Hollocks MJ, Pickles A, Howlin P, Simonoff E (2016). Dual Cognitive and Biological Correlates of Anxiety in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders; 46(10) 3295-307.

Ozsivadjian A, Hollocks MJ, Southcott, Absoud M, Holmes E (2016). Anxious Imagery in Children With and Without Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Investigation into Occurrence, Content, Features and Implications for Therapy. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 47(12) 3822-3832.

Hollocks MJ, Lawrence AJ, Brookes RL, Thomas R Barrick TR, Morris RG, Husain M, Markus HS (2015). Differential Relationships between Apathy and Depression with White Matter Microstructural Changes and Functional Outcomes, Brain, 138 (12):3803-15.

Kawadler JM, Kirkham FJ, Clayden JD, Hollocks MJ, Seymour EL, Edey R, Telfer P, Robins A, Wilkey O, Barker S, Cox TC, Clark CA (2015). White Matter Damage Relates to Oxygen Saturation in Children With Sickle Cell Anemia Without Silent Cerebral Infarcts, Stroke, 46(7) 1793-9.

Mikita N, Hollocks MJ, Papadopoulos A, Aslani A, Harrison S, Leibenluft E, Simonoff E and Stringaris, A. (2015). Irritability in boys with autism spectrum disorders: an investigation of physiological reactivity, Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 56(10) 1118-26.

Hollocks MJ, Howlin P, Papadoupulous A, Khondoker M, & Simonoff E. (2014) Differences in HPA-axis and Heart Rate Responsiveness to Psychosocial Stress in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders with and without co-morbid anxiety, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 46, 32-45.

Hollocks MJ, Jones CRG, Pickles A, Baird G, Happé F, Charman T, & Simonoff E. (2014) The association between social cognition and executive functioning with symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders, Autism Research, 7(2): 216-28

Ozsivadjian A, Hibberd C, Hollocks MJ. (2014) The use of self-report measures in young people with autism spectrum disorders to access symptoms of anxiety, depression and negative thoughts, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities, 44(4) 969-74.

Hollocks MJ, Ozsivadjian A, Matthews CE, Howlin P, & Simonoff E. (2013) The relationship between attentional bias and anxiety in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Autism Research 6(4) 237-47.

Hollocks MJ, Kok TB, Kirkham FJ, Gavlak J, Inusa BP, Debaun MR, de Haan M. (2012) Nocturnal oxygen desaturation and disordered sleep as a potential factor in executive dysfunction in sickle cell anemia. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society 18, 168-173.