A Comparison of Two School Based Interventions to Manage Anxiety in Autistic Students
University of Colorado, Denver
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to compare two school based interventions to manage anxiety in autistic students. The main question\[s\] it aims to answer are: 1) Compare the effectiveness of Facing Your Fears-School Based Program (FYF-SB) with Zones of Regulation (ZOR) on anxiety reduction and emotion regulation; and 2) examine the feasibility and satisfaction of FYF-SB and ZOR, according to students, caregivers and school providers. Autistic students with anxiety between 8-14 years will be randomized to either FYF-SB and ZOR. They will participate in one of the programs for 12 weeks and pre, post and follow-up measures will occur.
Description
Background and Significance: Anxiety is very common for autistic youth and can significantly limit functioning and full participation across settings. In school, anxiety may negatively impact students' attendance, school performance, peer relationships and extracurricular participation. Unfortunately, autistic youth have experienced long-standing difficulty accessing mental health care in community settings, and this difficulty is even more pronounced for youth from historically underserved racial and ethnic backgrounds. Cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) are evidence-based practices that ar…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 7–15 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: There are 3 groups of participants: students, caregivers and interdisciplinary school providers: Inclusion criteria for students ages 8-14: * known medical diagnosis of ASD OR educational identification of ASD OR suspected ASD * clinical anxiety according to either student, parent or teacher report * clinically significant impairment (T-score above 70) in reciprocal social behavior according to the Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (SRS-2). Exclusion criteria for students * known intellectual disability * significant behavior or psychiatric challenge that pre…
Interventions
- BehavioralZones of Regulation
ZOR is rooted in CBT principles and uses a metacognitive framework to increase awareness of feelings and to build regulation, prosocial skills, and overall wellness.
- BehavioralFacing Your Fears - School Based
FYF-SB is a CBT program for managing anxiety in autistic youth.
Location
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical CampusAurora, Colorado