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Behavioral Activation for Treatment of Depression in Autistic Adolescents With Below Average Intelligence

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
12 Years to 17 Years
Sex
All sexes
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.

Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study tests an adapted depression therapy called Behavioral Activation for autistic teens with below-average thinking and learning skills. It looks at whether the therapy is practical to offer, acceptable to teens and families, and may help with depression.

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.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • Are 12–17 years old.
  • Have an autism diagnosis.
  • Have depression symptoms, with a T-score of 65 or higher on the Children's Depression Inventory, Second Edition, completed by a parent, the teen, or both.
  • Have an IQ score of 60–84, a measure of thinking and learning skills.
  • Have had no changes to medicines for mood, anxiety, or behavior for 3 months.
  • Have the same parent or parents take part in every therapy session and study assessment visit.

Who can't join

  • Take part in another talk therapy during the study.
  • Are at immediate risk of harming themselves or others.
  • Have bipolar disorder (a condition with major mood swings), a personality disorder (lasting patterns of thinking and behavior that cause problems), or schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder (conditions that affect a person's sense of what is real).

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria * 12-17 years old * Autism diagnosis * Symptoms of depression (more specifically, Children's Depression Inventory, Second Edition parent-report and/or self-report T-score ⩾ 65) * IQ 60-84 * Stable on medications for mood, anxiety, and/or behavior for 3 months * Participation of same parent(s) in all therapy sessions and assessment visits Exclusion Criteria * Participation in another psychotherapy during the study period * Imminent risk of harm to self and/or others * Bipolar disorder, a personality disorder, and/or schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder

Study sites (1)

NY