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Objective: This study compared and explored the neurocognitive profiles of siblings of persons with and without neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) and associations between objective test performance and self-reported psychosocial functioning. Methods: Siblings of persons with and without NDCs (64 NDC and 64 control siblings; mean age 19.88 years, range 11-27 years, 73.44% female, 75.78% White Caucasian) completed self-report questionnaires and self-administered computerized neurocognitive tests of executive functioning (EF). Using Bayesian analyses, we examined cross-sectional associations between self-reported psychosocial functioning and cognitive test performance, and predictors of EF over 15 months. Results: NDC siblings had poorer working memory, inhibition, attention, and shifting compared to controls, as measured by experimental paradigms on the backward Corsi span, N-Back 2-back task, Stop Signal Task, Sustained Attention to Response Task, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (effect size δ ranging 0.49 to 0.64). Bayesian cross-sectional networks revealed negative emotion reactivity and working memory difficulties were central to the NDC sibling network. Over 15 months, poorer EF (k low test scores) was predicted by negative emotion reactivity, sleep problems, and anxiety, over and above effects of age and subclinical autistic and ADHD traits. Siblings of autistic individuals and persons with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder had higher rates of neurocognitive and psychiatric difficulties than other NDCs and controls (Bayes factors >20). Conclusions: Neurocognitive difficulties were associated with transdiagnostic vulnerability to poorer wellbeing in NDC siblings. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of remote online cognitive testing and highlight the importance of individualized prevention and intervention for NDC siblings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Siblings of individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions (NDCs) have greater incidence of neuropsychiatric diagnoses and neurocognitive difficulties compared to siblings of persons without NDCs. Despite suicidality being labelled a global health crisis (WHO, 2014) and NDC siblings experiencing risk factors implicated in suicidality, no previous studies examined suicidality amongst adolescent and young adult siblings of persons with NDCs. Our study aimed to bridge this gap. The present study used Bayesian analyses and risk classification models to examine individual and environmental risk factors associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviours amongst siblings of persons with and without NDCs (n = 267; 132 NDC, 135 control group, mean age 20.61, range 14–27, 76.40% female, 76.78% White Caucasian), as measured using self-report survey data and remote self-administered cognitive tests. NDC siblings had higher rates of current nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI; 18.94% versus 14.07%, δ = −0.32), suicidal ideation (25.76% versus 8.89%, δ = −0.40) and history of suicide attempts (18.18% versus 4.44%, δ = −0.43) compared to controls. Classification models using boosting and random forest demonstrated adequate performance: positive predictive value 0.86–0.91, negative predictive value 0.81–0.90, false negative rates 0.11–0.24. Cognitive inflexibility, alexithymia, inattention, bullying, depression, NSSI, and eating or psychotic disorder history had the highest relative importance in predicting lifetime suicidality. Poorer executive functioning (measured by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, Sustained Attention to Response Task, Stop Signal Task, and N-Back 2-back task) was strongly correlated with suicidality. Screening for proximal and modifiable risk factors is critical to inform suicidal behaviour intervention and prevention programs for at-risk siblings. • Siblings of persons with NDCs self-reported more lifetime self-harm, and suicidal ideation and attempts. • Eating, psychotic and sleep disorders preceded suicide attempts. • Machine learning classified lifetime suicidality cases with good accuracy. • Cognitive inflexibility, inattention, alexithymia, bullying, and depression predicted suicidality. • Poorer executive functioning measured by experimental paradigms were associated with suicidality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]