Feasibility Study of UP-A-AST Parent Group for Adolescents With Autism and Co-occurring Anxiety/Depression
9 juin 2026 mis à jour par: Karin Melin, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Unified Protocol-Adolescent Autism Parent Group (UP-A-AST) for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-occurring Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders: A Feasibility Study
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with high rates of psychiatric comorbidity, particularly anxiety and depressive disorders, which contribute to significant impairment for affected youth and their families. Although cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recommended as a first-line treatment for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions specifically adapted for youth with ASD and co-occurring emotional disorders.
The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/UP-A) is a CBT-based intervention targeting shared mechanisms underlying anxiety and depression. A parent-mediated adaptation, the Unified Protocol-Adolescent Autism Parent Group (UP-A-AST), has been developed to address the specific needs of adolescents with ASD and co-occurring anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Preliminary quality improvement work has shown promising results.
This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the UP-A-AST Parent Group in a child and adolescent outpatient psychiatric setting. The study will include parents of adolescents aged 12-17 years with ASD and co-occurring anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Outcomes include changes in adolescents' psychiatric symptoms and functional impairment, as well as parents' perceived parenting competence. Additionally, parents' experiences of participating in the intervention will be explored.
Aperçu de l'étude
Statut
Recrutement
Les conditions
Intervention / Traitement
Type d'étude
Interventionnel
Inscription (Estimé)
72
Phase
- N'est pas applicable
Contacts et emplacements
Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.
Coordonnées de l'étude
- Nom: Karin Melin, PhD
- Numéro de téléphone: +46730494348
- E-mail: karin.a.melin@vgregion.se
Sauvegarde des contacts de l'étude
- Nom: Sahlgrenska University Hospital
- Numéro de téléphone: +46313421000
Lieux d'étude
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Gothenburg, Suède, 41345
- Recrutement
- BUP- Specialmottagning, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
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Contact:
- Karin Melin, PhD
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Critères de participation
Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.
Critère d'éligibilité
Âges éligibles pour étudier
- Enfant
- Adulte
- Adulte plus âgé
Accepte les volontaires sains
Non
La description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adolescents aged 12-17 years
- Clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to DSM-IV, DSM-5, or ICD-10
- Current diagnosis of anxiety disorder and/or depressive disorder according to DSM-5
- Ongoing contact with a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (BUP) outpatient clinic
- Stable psychopharmacological treatment at the time of inclusion (if applicable)
- Parents has participated in a psychoeducational program on autism within child and adolescent psychiatric services, or is assessed by the clinician to have equivalent knowledge
Exclusion Criteria:
- Presence of a severe psychiatric disorder, such as psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or severe eating disorder
- High suicide risk or suicide attempt within the past 12 months
- Severe self-injurious behavior
- Intellectual disability according to DSM-5
- The adolescent is primarily in need of basic interventions for autism spectrum disorder
- Parents are unable to attend all group sessions and/or lack the ability to engage in assigned home practice
- Need for an interpreter
Plan d'étude
Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.
Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?
Détails de conception
- Objectif principal: Traitement
- Répartition: N / A
- Modèle interventionnel: Affectation à un seul groupe
- Masquage: Aucun (étiquette ouverte)
Armes et Interventions
Groupe de participants / Bras |
Intervention / Traitement |
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Expérimental: UP-A-AST Parent Group
Participants receive the Unified Protocol-Adolescent Autism Parent Group (UP-A-AST), a parent-mediated, group-based cognitive behavioral intervention adapted for adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and co-occurring anxiety and/or depressive disorders.
The intervention is delivered to parents in a group format and focuses on enhancing understanding of emotional difficulties and providing strategies to support adolescents' emotion regulation and functioning
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The intervention is delivered in a group format to parents and focuses on strengthening parenting skills and promoting the adolescent's mental health and functional outcomes.
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Que mesure l'étude ?
Principaux critères de jugement
Mesure des résultats |
Description de la mesure |
Délai |
|---|---|---|
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Change from baseline in RCADS Total Score through 3-Month Follow-up.
Délai: Baseline, at completion of the intervention (10 weeks) and 3 months post intervention
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Anxiety and depressive symptom severity will be assessed using the parent-reported version of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), a validated questionnaire measuring symptoms of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents.Total scores range from 0 to 141, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity .
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Baseline, at completion of the intervention (10 weeks) and 3 months post intervention
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Mesures de résultats secondaires
Mesure des résultats |
Description de la mesure |
Délai |
|---|---|---|
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Change from baseline in Child Anxiety Life Interference Scale-Revised, Parent Version (CALIS-R) total Score at 3-Month follow-up
Délai: Baseline, at completion of the intervention (10 weeks) and 3 months post intervention
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Functional impairment related to anxiety will be assessed using the Child Anxiety Life Interference Scale-Revised, Parent Version (CALIS-R), a 16-item parent-report measure assessing the impact of the child's anxiety on functioning within and outside the family, as well as the impact on parental functioning.
Total scores range from 0 to 64, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety-related interference .
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Baseline, at completion of the intervention (10 weeks) and 3 months post intervention
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Change From Baseline in Brief Parental Self-Efficacy Scale (BPSES) Total Score at 3-Month Follow-up
Délai: Baseline, at completion of the intervention (10 weeks) and 3 months post intervention
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Parental self-efficacy will be assessed using the Brief Parental Self-Efficacy Scale (BPSES), a five-item self-report measure evaluating parents' perceived competence and confidence in their parenting role.
Total scores range from 5 to 30, with higher scores indicating greater parental self-efficacy .
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Baseline, at completion of the intervention (10 weeks) and 3 months post intervention
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Parent-reported experience of participation in the intervention UP-A-AST Parent Group
Délai: At completion of the intervention (12 weeks)
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Parent experiences of participating in the intervention will be assessed using the Evaluation of the UP-A-AST Parent Group, a study-specific questionnaire developed for this intervention.
The questionnaire consists of six items rated on a 10-point scale, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 60, with higher scores indicating a more positive experience of participation.
The questionnaire also includes three open-ended questions regarding positive aspects of the parent group, aspects that participants would have preferred to be different, and any additional comments or reflections.
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At completion of the intervention (12 weeks)
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Collaborateurs et enquêteurs
C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.
Parrainer
Les enquêteurs
- Chercheur principal: Karin Melin, PhD, Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Dates d'enregistrement des études
Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.
Dates principales de l'étude
Début de l'étude (Réel)
5 janvier 2026
Achèvement primaire (Estimé)
30 décembre 2026
Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)
30 mars 2027
Dates d'inscription aux études
Première soumission
31 mars 2026
Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité
9 juin 2026
Première publication (Réel)
10 juin 2026
Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude
Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)
10 juin 2026
Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité
9 juin 2026
Dernière vérification
1 mars 2026
Plus d'information
Termes liés à cette étude
Termes MeSH pertinents supplémentaires
Autres numéros d'identification d'étude
- 2025-05437-01
Plan pour les données individuelles des participants (IPD)
Prévoyez-vous de partager les données individuelles des participants (DPI) ?
NON
Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude
Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine
Non
Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine
Non
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