The aim of the study is to enrich the understanding of the physiological mechanisms that predispose autistic adolescents to mental illness. It will inform a possible pathway and biomarker handprint of mental illness severity and prognosis to formulate a neurobiologically informed personalization strategy that could be applied for selecting appropriate Evidence Based Intervention (EBI) for treating an adolescent formally diagnosed with Autism.
The goal of this observational study is: 1. to identify environmental factors which may significantly contribute to the already vulnerable mental health of autistic adolescents in the age group of 11 - 15 years in developing mental illness; 2. to perform quantitative modelling of the Epigenetic - Genetic/Metabolomic - Mental health (EGM) process chain for designing control strategies based on the subjects' personal, environmental, historical, and current state.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
400
University College Cork
Cork, Ireland
University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davila Bucharest
Bucharest, Romania
University of Southampton
Southampton, United Kingdom
Symptoms of anxiety
Symptoms of anxiety will be assessed via the Anxiety Scale for Children (ASC-ASD). The ASC-ASD is a 24 item self-report for use with young people aged between 8-16 years with a diagnosis of Autism. Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 to 3. Total score range from 0 to 72, with higher scores indicating higher levels of anxiety. The ASC-ASD will be completed by participants at the clinic visits at month 0, 2, 4, and 6.
Time frame: Months 0-6
Symptoms of anxiety
Symptoms of anxiety will be assessed via the Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 (RCADS-25). The RCADS-25 is a 25-item self-report, rendering an anxiety subscale with 14 items. Items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale with higher scores representing greater symptom severity. Scores for the anxiety subscale range from 0 to 42. The RCADS-25 will be completed biweekly over the 6-month study duration.
Time frame: Months 0-6
Symptoms of depression
Symptoms of depression will be assessed via the Beck Depression Inventory for Youth (BDI-Y). The BDI-Y is a 20-item self report. Items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 3. Total scores range from 0 to 60 with higher scores indicating higher symptom severity. The BDI-Y will be completed by participants at the clinic visits at month 0, 2, 4, and 6.
Time frame: Months 0-6
Symptoms of depression
Symptoms of depression will be assessed via Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale-25 (RCADS-25). The RCADS-25 is a 25-item self-report, rendering a depression subscale with 10 items. Items are scored on a 4-point Likert scale with higher scores representing greater symptom severity. Scores for the depression subscale range from 0 to 30. The RCADS-25 will be completed biweekly over the 6-month study duration.
Time frame: Months 0-6
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