Behavioral Activation for Treatment of Depression in Autistic Adolescents With Below Average Intelligence

NCT07812870 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: IRB2026-00072
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 18
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by differences in social communication/interaction and the presence of restricted/repetitive behaviors, with significant heterogeneity in terms of autistic features, language ability, and cognitive characteristics. About 2-3% of individuals in the United States are autistic, and most autistic individuals have co-occurring mental health conditions. Autistic people are 3-4 times more likely to experience depression than non-autistic people. Of the emerging depression treatment research with autistic people, none to date has focused on developing and testing a depression treatment for autistic youth with below average cognitive abilities - a group which comprises over 50% of the autistic community. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate the feasibility (Aim 1), acceptability (Aim 2), and preliminary treatment effects (Aim 3) of an extension of Behavioral Activation for Depression in Autistic Adolescents (BA-A), adapted to meet the needs of cognitively lower functioning autistic youth.

Conditions

Autism; Depressed; Depressed Mood

Keywords

Autism; Depression

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Children's Depression Rating Scale, Revised

  Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)

• Children's Depression Inventory, Second Edition

  Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)

• Aberrant Behavior Checklist

  Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)

• Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale-Short Form

  Baseline, Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline]), 1-Month Follow-Up (1 month following completion of therapy sessions)

• Acceptability of Intervention Measure

  Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline])

• Intervention Appropriateness Measure

  Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline])

• Feasibility of Intervention Measure

  Post-Treatment (i.e., after completion of 12 weekly therapy sessions [typically 12-13 weeks after baseline])

Study Arms (1)

BA-A

EXPERIMENTAL

BA-A is an individually delivered manualized 12-session treatment that utilizes established behavioral strategies and incorporates common mental health treatment adaptations for autistic young people.

Behavioral: BA-A

Interventions

BA-A BEHAVIORAL

BA-A is an individually delivered manualized 12-session treatment that utilizes established behavioral strategies and incorporates common mental health treatment adaptations for autistic young people.

BA-A

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 12 Years - 17 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• years old
• Autism diagnosis
• Symptoms of depression (more specifically, Children's Depression Inventory, Second Edition parent-report and/or self-report T-score ⩾ 65)
• IQ 60-84
• Stable on medications for mood, anxiety, and/or behavior for 3 months

You may not qualify if:

• Participation in another psychotherapy during the study period
• Imminent risk of harm to self and/or others
• Bipolar disorder, a personality disorder, and/or schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Stony Brook University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Stony Brook University

Stony Brook, New York, 11794, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Autistic Disorder; Consciousness Disorders; Depression

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Autism Spectrum Disorder; Child Development Disorders, Pervasive; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Mental Disorders; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Neurocognitive Disorders; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Michelle Menezes, PhD

  Stony Brook University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Michelle Menezes, PhD

CONTACT

631-638-3819; autismandneurodiversitylab@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 31, 2026
• First Posted: September 10, 2026
• Study Start: August 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 1, 2027
• Last Updated: September 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)