Pilot Randomized Trial of the RUBI Program for Families of Autistic Adults
Seattle Children's Hospital
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate if a redesigned version of the RUBI parenting intervention can reduce challenging behaviors and improve adaptive skills in autistic adults with co-occurring challenging behaviors. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the redesigned RUBI intervention feasible and acceptable for autistic adults and their families? * Does the redesigned RUBI intervention reduce challenging behaviors and enhance the quality of life for autistic adults? * Researchers will compare the redesigned RUBI intervention to an active control group, Introduction to the Science and Lived Experience of Autism (ISLEA), to see if RUBI is more effective in improving outcomes for autistic adults and their families. Participants will: * Attend sessions where they receive either the RUBI intervention or the ISLEA program. * Engage in activities designed to promote communication, co-regulation, and autonomy in the context of supporting autistic adults. * Complete assessments at the start, throughout, and at the end of the 20-week trial to evaluate outcomes such as challenging behaviors, adaptive skills, and quality of life.
Description
Over the past decade, across three large-scale, NIH-funded trials, the Research Unit in Behavioral Interventions (RUBI) Autism Network developed and systematically tested a low-intensity manualized parenting intervention for autistic children ages 3-14 with challenging behaviors.8-10 RUBI teaches families how to foster home environments that support their autistic child, including teaching parents how to understand their child's behaviors as forms of communication, respond and adapt to their child's unique needs, and personalize strategies for their child's needs and preferences (e.g. utilizin…