Adapting BA for Minimally Verbal Autistic Adults

Rutgers The State University of New Jersey

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder With Impaired Functional Language; Autism Spectrum Disorder; Depression; Autism

Treatments: Behavioral: BeatIt-MV

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06064422

Pro 2021001254

Details and patient eligibility

About

The present study aims to adapt and evaluate the feasibility of the BeatIt-2 behavioral activation intervention for people with intellectual disabilities and low mood to be implemented with minimally verbal autistic individuals.

Full description

Aim 1. The first phase of the project will focus on adapting the BeatIt-2 manual to consider specific needs of MV autistic adults. This procedure includes an intervention development group (IDG), for which MV autistic adults and their supporters (i.e., someone identified as a source of support they can work with) will be recruited. Aim 2. During the following phase of the project, a feasibility trial will be conducted. Using the treatment manual and study procedures adapted and refined in phase 1, the trial will examine the feasibility and acceptability of BeatIt-MV.

Enrollment: 15 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Minimally verbal
• Aged 18 years or older
• Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and clinically significant depression based on clinical best estimate diagnosis using DSM-5 or Diagnostic Manual - Intellectual Disability criteria
• Have a support person willing to participate
• Live in New Jersey or New York, or be within travel distance to Rutgers University

Exclusion criteria

• Not able to engage in treatment in English
• current engagement in other treatment for depression
• conditions that may preclude engagement in treatment sessions (e.g., active psychosis, unmanaged seizures)
• high suicide risk (i.e., with a clear plan, expressed intent or recent documented attempts)

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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15 participants in 1 patient group

BeatIt-MV Treatment Group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants, along with support persons, will complete 12 weekly sessions of the BeatIt-MV intervention. The support person will complete an initial session before commencement of the 12 weekly sessions.

Treatment:

Behavioral: BeatIt-MV