Toolkit to help therapists treat autistic teens with mental health needs
Official title: A Transdiagnostic Toolkit to Improve Mental Health Treatment for Autistic Individuals
Run by Florida International University · NCT07539519 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pilot study will test a therapist-facing toolkit designed to improve how mental health care is provided to autistic teens.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 13 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 18 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Florida International University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Miami, Florida and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | April 9, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2027 |
| Study ends | December 2027 |
| Registry record updated | July 10, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07539519 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are autistic adolescents aged 13–17 with a co-occurring mental health condition and English fluency, treated at the participating community clinic.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who do not engage with the toolkit or whose conditions are outside the scope of the clinic's services may not experience benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The project starts with remote focus groups with autistic individuals and licensed therapists to identify barriers to mental health treatment and ideas for improvement. Researchers will then create a prototype toolkit for therapists that adapts evidence-based treatments for autistic youth. In a second phase, six therapists will be randomized to either continue usual care or use the toolkit in a community clinic to pilot test feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact on therapist knowledge, confidence, and treatment outcomes for autistic adolescents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the toolkit could make mental health care more acceptable and effective for autistic teens by guiding therapists in adapting treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in similar approaches suggests that clinician-facing tools can improve treatment delivery, but this specific toolkit for autistic youth is novel in its randomized, real-clinic testing.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
The following describes Phase II (the clinical trial): Inclusion Criteria for clients: * A confirmed diagnosis of autism * Between 13 and 17 years old * Fluent in English * Have a co-occurring mental health condition that is appropriate for treatment at the community clinic participating in the proposed study Exclusion criteria: N/A All therapists working at the community clinic at which this study takes place will be eligible to participate.
Where it's running
-
Florida International University
Miami, Florida, United States Recruiting -
Florida International University
Miami, Florida, United States Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Yael Dai, PhD
- Email: ydai@fiu.edu
- Phone: 13053481034
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.