We have several studies for children as young as 3 years old up through adolescents. Some require in-person visits and others are online only. Click on each study name to learn more!
Enrolling:
- Parents with children ages 3 or 4 with or without an autism diagnosis.
- Families must live within about a one-hour drive from Oakland in Pittsburgh.
This study is focused on how parents and children (ages 3- to 5-years-old) manage everyday emotional challenges. We hope that this study will help us understand the challenges that parents and their children face managing big emotions.
Enrolling:
- Children with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of 4 to 8 years old
This study is focused on using a non-invasive neuroimaging technique called fNIRS to understand how 4- to 8-year-old autistic children's brains activity during computer games. The hope is to then understand how this corresponds to EDI scores as a brain marker of emotion dysregulation.
Enrolling:
- Ages 14+
- With autism
- With internet access
The purpose of this study is to develop a new measure of suicidality called the Autism Suicidality Inventory (ASI). The ASI is a survey that measures suicidality in autistic adolescents and adults. The ASI was developed in partnership with autistic teens and adults. The availability of such a measure is key to inform intervention development to improve safety and quality of life. We hope to learn information that can be used to support mental health for autistic people.
Enrolling:
- Eligibility for enrollment into the study is based on admission into one of the AIC inpatient units.
The Autism Inpatient Collection (AIC) is a multisite study of patients admitted to specialized psychiatric inpatient units for autism. It is focused on improving understanding of those who are profoundly affected in terms of limited speaking ability, intellectual disability, severe emotion dysregulation, aggression, or self-injurious behavior.
Enrolling in 2024:
- Individuals with an autism diagnosis, age 12-25 years old
- Have difficulties with regulating their emotions
- Able to communicate (speaking or non-speaking) and participate in therapy (or)
- Have a caregiver/parent who can complete assessments
- No current signs of psychosis, substance abuse, or mania
This upcoming study will compare EASE to a standardized cognitive behavioral therapy across ten community mental health clinics in the Western PA region and in Alabama. This study will be for ages 12- to 25-years-old and is open to those with or without intellectual disability.
Enrollment Closed: This study is focused on developing a questionnaire of autism symptoms for children ages 3 to 11.
Enrollment Closed: The EDI-SR online only study is focused on developing a self-report questionnaire version of the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory for ages 11 through adulthood.
Enrollment Closed: This study is a randomized controlled trial comparing EASE, the mindfulness-based emotion regulation intervention that we developed, to individualized supportive therapy, in autistic 12- to 21-year-olds without intellectual disability.