Depression and social-emotional factors in teen girls with autism
Official title: Tracking Depression and Associated Modifiable Social-Emotional Factors in Adolescent Girls with Autism
Funded at University of Texas at Austin · NIH-11311300 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows adolescent girls with autism to learn how day-to-day social and emotional experiences relate to depression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas at Austin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Austin, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,430 |
| NIH project number | 5R00MH131841-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11311300 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Girls with autism spectrum disorder in early to mid-adolescence (roughly ages 10–18) who can complete questionnaires or daily diary-type measures are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Boys, adults, people without ASD, and girls with severe communication or cognitive impairments that prevent completing daily measures are less likely to benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
You would be followed during adolescence so researchers can map how depression symptoms change over time and how social and emotional experiences affect those changes. The team will analyze existing datasets of 10–13-year-olds and then collect detailed longitudinal and momentary (daily) data to capture real-life interactions and feelings. Statistical models will be used to identify different depression symptom trajectories and the social-emotional factors linked to increased risk. The goal is to use these findings to inform development of treatments tailored for girls with autism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify specific social or emotional targets for early interventions to prevent or reduce depression in girls with autism.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior studies link social and emotional difficulties to teen depression, but few have focused specifically on adolescent girls with autism, so this targeted approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zheng, Shuting — University of Texas at Austin
- Study coordinator: Zheng, Shuting
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding depression in adolescent girls with autism
This study looks at how social and emotional experiences impact depression in girls with autism, ages 10 to 13, to better understand their challenges and help create support that fits their needs.
-
Understanding how reward responses relate to depression in adolescents with autism
This study is looking at how feeling rewarded—whether from social interactions or other activities—affects depression in teenagers with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and it hopes to find ways to help them feel better.
-
Neural roots of how autistic adults understand word meaning
A study to understand how adults with autism process word meanings in the brain, aiming to improve language support.
-
Biotype-based Personalization of Antidepressant Augmentation in Late-Life Depression
A multi-site study will test a computer-guided approach to choosing the best augmentation option for older adults with treatment-resistant depression.
-
Suubi-Mhealth: a mobile app to help Ugandan youth with HIV manage depression and ART adherence
A mobile app designed for 14–17 year olds in Uganda aims to support mental health and keep HIV treatment on track.
-
Group-based postpartum depression prevention: in-person vs. virtual delivery
A large study is testing whether the ROSE group program delivered virtually to pregnant people is just as helpful as the in-person version in preventing postpartum depression.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.