Autism, Mental Health Conditions
Conditions
Keywords
mental health treatment
Brief summary
This pilot study is funded by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR). We are conducting a pilot study to improve mental health treatment for autistic individuals. First, we will conduct remote focus groups to identify barriers to mental health treatment and methods to improve treatment. Based on results, we will develop a prototype of a resource for therapists. This resource will be pilot tested in a community clinic.
Detailed description
Research Design: During Phase I of the study, the investigators propose to conduct remote focus groups with autistic individuals (n=15) and with licensed therapists (n=15) in order to identify barriers to mental health treatment for autistic individuals, as well as ways to improve mental health treatment. Based on this information, the study team will develop a prototype of a therapist-facing toolkit that will include strategies for adapting evidence-based treatments when working with autistic individuals. In Phase II of the study, 6 therapists treating autistic clients (n=12) in a community clinic will be randomized to continue treatment as usual or to receive access to the toolkit. Study investigators will collect pilot data to explore whether the toolkit (1) improves therapist knowledge of autism and confidence treating mental health conditions in autistic people, (2) is acceptable to therapists, and (3) improves the acceptability and efficacy of mental health care for autistic adolescents.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALEnhanced Psychotherapy
Clients randomized to the Enhanced Psychotherapy group will receive psychotherapy from therapists who have access to a toolkit that reviews strategies for tailoring evidence-based therapy to improve mental health treatment for autistic individuals.
BEHAVIORALTreatment as Usual (TAU)
Clients randomized to this condition will continue to receive psychotherapy in a community clinic
Sponsors
Florida International University
Organization for Autism Research
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Masking description
In the clinical trial, the 12 autistic clients will be masked to their and their their therapist's condition. The 6 therapists will know whether they are randomized to the intervention or treatment as usual (TAU) group.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
13 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
The following describes Phase II (the clinical trial): Inclusion Criteria for clients: * A confirmed diagnosis of autism * Between 13 and 17 years old * Fluent in English * Have a co-occurring mental health condition that is appropriate for treatment at the community clinic participating in the proposed study
Exclusion criteria
N/A All therapists working at the community clinic at which this study takes place will be eligible to participate.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptability of Intervention Measure | Baseline and 1 month | The Acceptability of Intervention Measure includes four items rated on a five-point scale (1= "Completely Disagree"; 5 = "Completely Agree"). Items are averaged to produce an acceptability score. Higher scores indicate greater acceptability. |
| Feasibility of Intervention Measure | Baseline and 1 month | The Feasibility of Intervention Measure includes four items rated on a five-point scale (1= "Completely Disagree"; 5 = "Completely Agree"). Items are averaged to produce a feasibility score. Higher scores indicate greater feasibility. |
| Intervention Appropriateness Measure | Baseline and 1 month | The Intervention Appropriateness Measure includes four items rated on a five-point scale (1= "Completely Disagree"; 5 = "Completely Agree"). Items are averaged to produce an appropriateness score. Higher scores indicate greater appropriateness of the resource. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale Professional Version - Revised | Baseline and 1 month | The Autism Spectrum Knowledge Scale Professional Version - Revised is a 25-item, multiple choice measure of autism knowledge designed specifically for use with professionals. The measure yields a raw score of items correct, with a range of 0 to 25. Higher scores indicate greater autism knowledge. |
| Therapist Confidence Scale (TCS) - adapted for autism | Baseline and 1 month | The Therapist Confidence Scale measures therapists' confidence in working with autistic clients. It includes 13 items (scored 1-5), with higher scores indicating greater confidence. The average from the 13 items will range from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater confidence. |
| Client Satisfaction Questionnaire | Baseline and 4 months | The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire measures clients' satisfaction with treatment. Eight items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale. Total scores range from 8-32, with higher scores indicating greater satisfaction. |
| Goal Attainment Scaling | Baseline and 4 months | The Goal Attainment Scaling is a global-based assessment method used to measure individual progress towards personalized objectives. In Goal Attainment Scaling, specific, measurable goals are collaboratively set with clients, each goal is rated on a 5-point scale ranging from much less than expected (-2) to much more than expected (2). This approach allows for flexible, individualized outcome tracking that are important to autistic individual's quality of life, while still enabling standardized data collection across diverse clients. |
| Clinical Global Impressions | Baseline and 4 months | The Clinical Global Impression is a commonly used clinician-rated scale to assess overall illness severity and improvement over time. Clinical Global Impression scores range from 1 ("normal") to 7 ("amongst the most severely ill patients), with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity. The clinical global impression change scores range from 1 (very much improved) to 7 (much worse). |
Countries
United States
Contacts
CONTACTYael Dai, PhD
Outcome results
None listed