Development of a support program for autistic adults and their caregivers

This study, conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, aims to pilot test an evidence-based family intervention (RUBI) for autism and behaviors that interfere with quality of life and self-determination in autistic adults and their caregivers. We believe this study is important because autistic adults and their families are currently the most underserved population of autistic individuals. Additionally, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network recently called for increased work to help autistic adults with challenging behaviors and their supporters. We hope that this study can help make progress toward meeting this need for the autistic community.

• Age ≥ 18 years
• Confirmed diagnosis of ASD from a community provider and Social Communication Question total score > 15;
• Adult and caregiver willing to attend sessions and parental proficiency in spoken and written English language.

We are looking to recruit autistic adults and their caregivers to pilot the intervention. Families will be asked to attend 8-10 weeks of intervention (1 hour/week) at a time that is convenient for them. They will also be asked to fill out surveys about themselves and the intervention 4 times throughout the intervention. Participants will each be compensated $25 for each set of surveys.

Currently, autistic adults and their families report having an extremely hard time accessing services. We hope that by testing this newly redesigned, short term, evidence-based intervention for autistic adults with behaviors that interfere with their quality of life and their families, we can help expand access to this service and give autistic adults and their families tools to improve self-determination and quality of life.