Category: Autism Spectrum and Developmental Disorders
Kelsey Dickson, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
Jan Blacher, Ph.D.
Distinguished Professor
University of California, Los Angeles
Riverside, California
Hadley McGregor, M.A.
University of California, Los Angeles
Huntington Beach, California
Stephanie Gonzalez, M.A.
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Elizabeth Baker, M.A.
University of California, Riverside
Riverside, California
Megan Ledoux, Ph.D.
San Diego State University
San Diego, California
Autistic individuals are more likely than the general population to experience co-occurring psychiatric disorders that negatively impact key outcomes, including quality of life (Lord et al., 2018). As such, effective treatments are critical to addressing the significant mental health needs among this population. Evidence-based treatments (EBTs) rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches targeting social skills (e.g., the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills [PEERS®]) and executive functioning (e.g., Unstuck and On Target) exist. However, further work is needed to explore essential treatment ingredients resulting in observed gains and potential modifications for diverse populations and settings. These questions inform all four presentations of this symposium.
Although providers highlight the importance of homework completion in CBT adapted for those with autism (Spain & Happé, 2020), it has rarely been systematically studied in autism EBTs. In the general population, homework compliance has demonstrated consistent predictive power in determining treatment outcome, though much of the evidence examines quantity rather than quality characteristics of homework (Kazantzis et al., 2016). Our first presentation examines homework compliance as a predictor of treatment response in PEERS® for Adolescents, including investigating how different homework assignments relate to outcomes.
A recent review summarized persistent health disparities, such that families from racial and ethnic minority groups and low-income backgrounds have less access to autism-related specialized services (Smith et al., 2020). However, research examining potential differences in treatment effectiveness - an important area of research to ensure that EBTs are culturally sensitive and appropriate to disseminate to diverse populations – is limited. Two of the current presentations examine the effectiveness of an existing EBT in marginalized populations: families with caregivers with lower education levels and Latinx families. These presentations will shed light on the treatment needs of intersectional identities in the autism community.
Thus, understanding diversity in autism goes beyond racial/ethnic and socioeconomic status. Beyond social skills, executive functioning challenges are common in autism and contribute to increased co-occurring mental health difficulties (Lawson et al., 2015). Our last presentation focuses on provider and caregiver perceptions of adaptations to psychotherapy to address and accommodate executive functioning needs in autistic youth.
Overall, our symposium has strengths in the inclusion of school-aged children, adolescents, and young adults on the autism spectrum, representing intervention across development. Further, methodologically, our first two presentations utilize samples derived from real-world outpatient clinical databases, showcasing EBT efficacy outside of rigorously controlled trials and samples. Finally, with increased calls to incorporate qualitative methodology into the evaluation of EBTs in autism (Bölte, 2014), our final two presentations maximize these approaches to capture nuanced and important insights.
Presenter: Hadley McGregor, M.A. – University of California, Los Angeles
Co-author: Chase Keyler, MA – University of California, Los Angeles
Co-author: Hillary Schiltz, MS – University of California, Los Angeles
Co-author: Christine Moody, PhD – University of California, Los Angeles
Co-author: Elizabeth A. Laugeson, Psy.D. – UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
Presenter: Stephanie Gonzalez, M.A. – University of California Los Angeles
Co-author: Christine Moody, PhD – University of California, Los Angeles
Co-author: Yen-Ho Chou, B.S. – UCLA PEERS Clinic
Co-author: Elizabeth A. Laugeson, Psy.D. – UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior
Presenter: Elizabeth Baker, M.A. – University of California, Riverside
Co-author: Ann Marie Martin, Ph.D. – University of California, Riverside
Co-author: Elina Veytsman, M.A. – University of California, Riverside
Co-author: Jan Blacher, Ph.D. – University of California, Los Angeles
Co-author: Katherine Stavropoulos, Ph.D. – University of California, Riverside
Presenter: Megan R. Ledoux, Ph.D. – San Diego State University
Co-author: Tana Holt, PhD – San Diego State University
Co-author: Lauren Brookman-Frazee, Ph.D. – University of California, San Diego
Co-author: Kelsey S. Dickson, Ph.D. – San Diego State University