Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Anxiety Disorders in Autism: Adapting Treatment for Adolescents

Completed · Phase 1/Phase 2 · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Anxiety Disorders in Youth With Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified

In brief

Comorbid anxiety disorders affect as many as 80% of youth with autism spectrum disorders, causing substantial distress and impairment over and above the autism spectrum diagnosis alone. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard treatment among typically developing youth with an anxiety disorder and when adapted, shows promise in children with ASD and comorbid anxiety. However, there is currently no psychotherapy protocol tailored to meet the unique needs of young adolescents with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and comorbid anxiety. Given this, the present study seeks to develop and test a new CBT therapy in adolescents with autism and comorbid anxiety.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT01177969

Run by

University of South Florida

People needed

33

Starts

2009-11-01

Expected to finish

2014-04-01

Last updated by the study team

2014-07-01

Who can join

Age: 11 and older, up to 14. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Outpatient adolescents with ASD (see below) between the ages 11-14 years.
• Meets criteria for a diagnosis of autism, Asperger syndrome (AS), or Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified .
• Meets criteria for a diagnosis of one of the following anxiety disorders: separation anxiety disorder (SAD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social phobia, or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Child has a Full Scale and Verbal Comprehension IQ≥85.

You may not qualify if…

• Receiving concurrent psychotherapy, social skills training, or behavioral interventions (e.g., applied behavior analysis). Families will have the option of discontinuing such services to enroll in the study.
• Has started an antidepressant within 12 weeks before study enrollment or an antipsychotic 6 weeks before study enrollment.
• Has changed established psychotropic medications (e.g., antidepressants, anxioloytics) within 8 weeks before study enrollment (6 weeks for antipsychotic).
• Is currently suicidal or has been actively suicidal in the last 6 months.
• Has been diagnosed with bipolar, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders; or Substance abuse in past 6 months.
• Presence of a significant and/or unstable medical illness which might lead to hospitalization during the study.

Where it is running

• Univeristy of California at Los Angeles — Los Angeles, California, United States
• University of South Florida — St. Petersburg, Florida, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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