Emotional intelligence and accommodation training for autistic adults and their learning partners

Better Social, Emotional Communication, Healthy Relationship and ASD Accommodation Skills: Emotional Intelligence ("EQ") Training for Autistic People and ASD Accommodation Training for People Who Care

This project will try Kairon's online emotional intelligence/leadership training for autistic adults (ages 18–36) together with autism accommodation training for a non-autistic learning partner to see if the trainings help each person and their relationship.

Quick facts

• Phase: Not applicable
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Kairon Connect, PBC (Industry-sponsored)
• Locations: 1 site (Wexford, Pennsylvania)
• Trial ID: NCT07315867 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Pairs of participants (an autistic adult aged 18–36 and a non-autistic learning partner) complete separate Kairon online trainings: emotional literacy and healthy-relationship modules for the autistic adult and autism accommodation training for the learning partner. Training is delivered fully online and the learning partner provides encouragement and feedback to their paired autistic adult during the intervention. After completing the trainings, both members of each pair complete surveys rating the training they received and the perceived impact on their partner. The protocol relies on self-reported outcomes and is open to participants across the United States.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are autistic adults aged 18–36 with a community ASD diagnosis and sufficient language and technology skills, together with a willing non-autistic learning partner over 18 who can participate online.

Not a fit: People outside the age range, without a willing learning partner, lacking necessary language or internet access, or with unstable medical or psychiatric conditions are unlikely to benefit from this online pair-based program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve emotional literacy and relationship skills for autistic adults while giving their partners practical accommodation strategies to support better daily interactions.

How similar studies have performed: Related caregiver training and social-emotional skills programs for autistic people have shown mixed but sometimes promising results, but the specific combination of online emotional-intelligence training plus paired accommodation coaching is relatively novel and not extensively tested.

Eligibility criteria

Participants are enrolled in pairs consisting of an autistic adult and their learning partner. Autistic adult age requirement is 18-36 years and the learning partner age requirement is \>18 years.

Autistic Adult Inclusion Criteria:

Generally healthy;

With a community diagnosis of ASD from a licensed clinician, such as a developmental pediatrician, psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, or a neurologist. Below is a set of valid example criteria these professionals could use, but other instruments, tools or diagnostic techniques could be used:

For example, meeting DSM-5 criteria for ASD based on a DSM-5 ASD symptom checklist (APA 2013); Meeting International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) for ASD (code 6A02)(Kamp-Becker, 2024); or a score in the ASD range on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule 2 (ADOS-20)(Lord et al., n.d.).

Participants have:

Sufficient linguistic capability and technology fluency and capability to participate in an all-online intervention and associated assessments; Their own computer hardware, software and internet connection to allow access to online training; Availability of a non-ASD parent, guardian or adult with a similarly strong and trusting relationship ("learning partner") who, upon pre-enrollment interview, has sufficient linguistic capability and technology fluency and capability to participate in an all-online intervention and associated assessments and the willingness, time and energy to keep up with the coursework; Absence of a clinical anxiety diagnosis, such as \<70 score on the ASEBA ASR Anxiety Problems score (or equivalent) or not having sufficient anxiety to be clinically evaluated; Verbal IQ ≥ 90 from a community test or using the Self-Administered Verbal IQ Test (SA-VIQT)(Logos et al., n.d.; openpsychometrics.org, n.d.), which can be administered entirely online and has convergent validity with Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence - Second Edition (WASI-II)(Wechsler, n.d.); and Ability to provide consent in English as a primary language with an absence of cognitive impairment.

Autistic Adult Exclusion Criteria:

Candidates will be ineligible for the study if they are Participating in other emotional intelligence, emotional communication or behavioral intervention training during the month of this intervention; Unable to devote at least an average of 15-30 minutes per day for 5 days per week, except one day off in the third week, to do the training plus two sets of 60-90 minute online questionnaires; or Unable to comply with study procedures or unwilling to accept the standard Kairon platform terms of use.

Learning Partner Inclusion Criteria:

Selected by an ASD adult enrolled in the study; Generally healthy; Without a diagnosis of ASD Sufficient linguistic capability and technology fluency and capability to participate in an all-online intervention and associated assessments; Their own computer hardware, software and internet connection to allow access to online training; Ability to provide consent in English as a primary language with an absence of cognitive impairment.

Learning Partner Exclusion Criteria:

Candidates will be ineligible for the study if they are Participating in other ASD accommodation training during the month of this intervention; Unable to devote at least an average of 15-30 minutes per day for 5 days per week, except one day off during the third week, to do the training plus two sets of 60-90 minute online questionnaires; or Unable to comply with study procedures or unwilling to accept the standard Kairon platform terms of use.

Where this trial is running

Wexford, Pennsylvania

• Training is all online and is available to participate in the study from anywhere in the US, run from a site in PA — Wexford, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Brian Sullivan, PhD

Conditions Autism