The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of a brief, telehealth intervention (the Emotional Support Plan), intended to support autistic adults to cope with their negative emotions during and/or after the COVID-19 pandemic. The first objective is to develop and refine a brief telehealth-delivered treatment, the Emotional Support Plan (ESP), to help promote adults to cope during periods of acute distress, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The second objective is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the ESP to support autistic adults to implement emotion regulation strategies during periods of acute distress. The last objective is to yield preliminary data to apply for extramural grants to validate these methods to monitor and support mental health of autistic adults during key transitions (e.g., starting college).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
26
The Emotional Support Plan (ESP) is designed to help adults to cope during periods of acute distress, such as those experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The daily monitoring will remind participants 4x/day to report on their mood, distress, etc. and use their ESP if needed.
Rutgers University
Piscataway, New Jersey, United States
Decreased distress on Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)
The PHQ-9, assessed weekly, is a 9-item questionnaire of psychological function over the past week with all items on a "0" (not at all) to "3" (nearly every day) scale. Higher scores equal more distress.
Time frame: 8 week study period
Decreased distress on EMA reports
EMA (Ecological Momentary Assessment) reports of decreased distress (in ESP + daily monitoring group only). Higher scores on the item equal higher levels of distress.
Time frame: 8 week study period
Decreased anxiety symptoms on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire (GAD-7)
The GAD-7, assessed weekly, is a 7-item questionnaire of anxiety symptoms over the past week with all items on a "0" (not at all) to "3" (nearly every day) scale. Higher scores equal more anxiety.
Time frame: 8 week study period
Adult Self Report (ASR)
The ASR is a measure of adaptive functioning and psychopathology (e.g., anxiety, depression symptoms). Most of the items are on a 3 point scale including: (0) Not true, (1) Somewhat or sometimes true, and (2) Very often or often true.
Time frame: 8 week study period
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