Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by differences in social communication/interaction and the presence of restricted/repetitive behaviors, with significant heterogeneity in terms of autistic features, language ability, and cognitive characteristics. About 2-3% of individuals in the United States are autistic, and most autistic individuals have co-occurring mental health conditions. Autistic people are 3-4 times more likely to experience depression than non-autistic people. Of the emerging depression treatment research with autistic people, none to date has focused on developing and testing a depression treatment for autistic youth with below average cognitive abilities - a group which comprises over 50% of the autistic community. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the feasibility (Aim 1), acceptability (Aim 2), and preliminary treatment effects (Aim 3) of an extension of Behavioral Activation for Depression in Autistic Adolescents (BA-A), adapted to meet the needs of cognitively lower functioning autistic youth.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
18
BA-A is an individually delivered manualized 12-session treatment that utilizes established behavioral strategies and incorporates common mental health treatment adaptations for autistic young people.
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York, United States
RECRUITINGChildren's Depression Rating Scale, Revised
Time frame: Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)
Children's Depression Inventory, Second Edition
Time frame: Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)
Aberrant Behavior Checklist
Time frame: Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)
Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale-Short Form
Time frame: Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)
Acceptability of Intervention Measure
Time frame: Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline])
Intervention Appropriateness Measure
Time frame: Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline])
Feasibility of Intervention Measure
Time frame: Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline])
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