Helping autistic teens leaving high school gain everyday living skills and better quality of life
Official title: A longitudinal study identifying psychological and service delivery targets to improve daily living skills and quality of life outcomes among autistic youth exiting high school
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11394314 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tries new ways to strengthen psychological skills and service supports so autistic teens leaving high school can build everyday living skills and have a better quality of life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $791,853 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH133838-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394314 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are autistic adolescents and young adults who are exiting or have recently exited high school, along with their families or caregivers.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not autistic or who are not approaching the transition out of high school are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would be followed over time while researchers measure everyday living skills like personal care, cooking, and getting around, along with psychological skills such as planning, self-determination, and executive function. The team will also collect information about family and community factors, like income and access to services, that affect daily life. By linking changes in these psychological skills and social supports to real-world outcomes, researchers hope to find the most helpful targets for future supports. That information will guide development of interventions and service changes aimed at improving independence and quality of life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new supports and services that help autistic young adults become more independent and improve their quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous programs teaching daily living skills for this age group have shown only modest improvements and poor generalization, so this work builds on those findings to try new psychological and service targets.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yerys, Benjamin — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Yerys, Benjamin
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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.