Research

AASET-MHTP is the first large-scale head-to-head comparison of the two most widely studied mental health interventions for autistic adults: cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based therapy (MBT). This research study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT versus MBT (both delivered by telehealth) to improve mental health and quality of life among autistic adults with anxiety or depression. This work is supported through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Assessment of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Options Program Award (IDD-2022C1-26372).

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The Autistic Adults and Other Stakeholders Engage Together – Suicide Prevention (AASET-SP) study aims to compare the helpfulness of two suicide prevention strategies tailored for autistic individuals: the Safety Planning Intervention tailored for Autistic individuals (SPI-A) and SPI-A plus structured follow-up care (SPI-A+). The research team includes autism and suicide prevention experts, clinicians, autistic individuals, and family members. This work is supported through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) Project Program Award (SP-2020C3-20951).

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Difficulties in coping with anxiety and managing strong emotions are fairly common in autistic youth. Since schools can be the best place for students to access mental healthcare, the ASAP-Autism research study compares the effectiveness of two school-based programs (Zones of Regulation and Facing Your Fears-School Based) in helping autistic youth to decrease their anxiety and regulate their emotions. This research is funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).

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We are following a group of 300 autistic adults in their 40’s to 60’s who were seen at TEACCH as children. We are looking at developmental trajectories across the lifespan and are also looking at the needs of autistic adults. In the next year, we will be creating a community advisory board, conducting caregiver surveys assessing cognitive decline/dementia, and developing qualitative interviews to learn more about healthcare and mental health needs for aging autistic adults. This upcoming research will be funded by the National Institutes of Health.

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Through ongoing funding from Wellcare, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Heathy Blue, and the NC Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), TEACCH is implementing and collecting data on a teleconsultation model (Project ECHO) to support primary care medical and mental health providers in rural North Carolina. Our goal is to improve healthcare for individuals with ASD across the lifespan. To date, we have reached over 100 providers, covering nearly every county in NC. We are currently conducting a follow-up study from previous cohorts of mental health providers, conducting a study examining outcomes for mental health providers working with Latine families with autistic children, and are recruiting on an ongoing basis for upcoming cohorts for both medical and mental health providers.

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Physical activity has a range of positive effects, from improving well-being to preventing age-related cognitive decline/dementia. Because individuals with intellectual disabilities may be at increased risk for some types of age-related dementia, it is important to learn more about how to overcome barriers to physical activity and increase exercise levels. The PACE research study aims to refine and test a multi-level physical activity program for adults with intellectual disability. This work is supported by the NIH National Institute on Aging.

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Work Together NC aims to help individuals find the community supports they need to thrive as they transition to adulthood. This may include finding a job or a place to volunteer, postsecondary education, housing, social and recreational opportunities, and more. We are conducting a GPS-tracking research study to learn more about where and how young adults with disabilities participate in their communities. This will help us better connect individuals with community supports. This work is supported by the US DHHS Administration for Community Living.

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The goal of HEELS 2 Participation is to create a virtual toolkit of learning modules which will cover key skill areas involved in the transition to adulthood. These include life skills, goal planning, mental health, community safety, sexual health, and career exploration. Our research study will include opportunities for community feedback and pilot testing over the next few years. By 2027, the virtual toolkit will be available at no cost to families, schools, and other organizations. This work is supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. HEELS 2 Participation is part of the HEELS 2 Transition program, which offers a range of strengths-based programs supporting young adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities in navigating life as an adult. This program is supported by the Oak Foundation.

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We know that community participation is an important part of the quality of life in adulthood, but that many autistic adults lack community participation opportunities. Volunteer work or community service is one form of community participation that has been shown to improve mental and physical health, social connection, employment readiness, and quality of life in the general population. We want to know if participation in these kinds of volunteer activities could meaningfully impact the quality of life for autistic adults as well. To study this, TEACCH is creating a new volunteer program. We are looking for autistic adults (ages 18+) to participate in the volunteer program! Volunteers will be matched with a local community service organization to complete weekly volunteer hours. They will also attend pre and post-program visits before and after their volunteer experience, during which they will be asked to complete some questionnaires and share feedback.

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An increasing number of autistic students are enrolling in post-secondary education. However, autistic college students often report experiencing challenges in the classroom, and drop out of college prior to receiving a degree. Furthermore, college instructors have reported being unaware of how to support autistic students in the classroom. This research study will interview community members to inform the development of A College Training: Faculty of Autistic Students Train Together (ACT FASTT), an innovative toolkit to educate community college instructors on best practices for supporting autistic students. This research is funded by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).

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The TEACCH® School Transition to Employment and Postsecondary Education Program (T-STEP) is a community college-based intervention developed to support the transition to employment and post-secondary education for 16 to 21-year-olds with Autism Spectrum Disorder who will or have received the Future-Ready Core high school diploma. The T-STEP is a 12-week intervention that includes a course that focuses on executive function, emotion regulation, and social communication skills. Students also receive individual career counseling, higher education counseling, and self-advocacy counseling. We have completed a randomized controlled trial (funded by the Department of Defense) to assess the efficacy of the T-STEP program.

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Suicide is the leading cause of premature death in autism. Suicide rates increase with age, which is why our team is examining the relationship between autism and aging. Connections+ is a fully remote study with the goal of understanding how community connections protect against suicidal thoughts and behaviors in older autistic and non-autistic adults (aged 55+). Participants in this study will track their social interactions and community participation using daily diaries and GPS tracking. They will also complete two video interviews. This work is supported by the National Institute of Mental Health. 

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