An Intervention to Promote Self-determination in Young Adults With Autism: the TEAm_YOUNG ADULTS Program

Autism Clinical Trial

— TEAm_YA  

Official title:

A Multicentric Mixed-methods Study About the Promotion of Self-determination in Young Adults With Autism: the TEAm_YOUNG ADULTS Program

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05938751
• Other study ID #: FPCEE_TeamYoungAdults2020/2023
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 15, 2020
• Est. completion date: July 31, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: July 2023
• Source: University Ramon Llull
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the benefits of a program to develop self-determination in young adults with autism. Being self-determined means acting or causing things to happen in your life. It involves deciding, acting and believing in one-self.

The main question this clinical trial aims to answer is: Is the program developed useful to improve self-determination of young adults with autism?

Participants will receive a group intervention to support the development of their self-determination-related skills during 20 sessions (1 session/week).

Researchers will compare the self-determination outcomes between the group that receives the intervention and another group that is in a waiting list (and will receive the intervention later) to see if the changes are due to the intervention.

Description:

This clinical trial employed a convergent mixed methods design. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from the same participants and analyzed separately within a similar timeframe. The quantitative strand used self-reported and proxy-reported questionnaires to evaluate the impact of the TEAm_YOUNG ADULTS program on the self-determination of young adults with autism. The quantitative data was collected at baseline and at the completion of the program, after 5 months (20 sessions). In the qualitative strand, focus groups were used to explore changes in self-determination perceived by the participants that received the program and their acceptance of the intervention. The focus groups were conducted when finishing the group and after the self-reported questionnaires are answered. Proxy-reports were answered after the realization of the focus groups.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 40
• Est. completion date: July 31, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: July 31, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 17 Years to 30 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• To have a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder in accordance with the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), or of Asperger's syndrome, according to he DSM-IV

• To be between 17 and 30 years old.

• To have a verbal comprehension index higher than 70 in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV), to ensure a good comprehension of the program

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not having spoken language

• Having a condition that could significantly interfere in the group functioning, such as an acute psychotic disorder or challenging behavior

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autism
• Autistic Disorder

Intervention

Behavioral:
• TEAm_YOUNG ADULTS program
The TEAm_YOUNG ADULTS program is an intervention to develop self-determination in young adults with autism. It consists of 20 1.5h weekly sessions. The intervention is conducted by two facilitators with expertise in autism and self-determination promotion. Groups are formed by 4 to 6 participants. The program can be applied online or in person. The first five sessions address specific characteristics and support needs of people with autism. The next ten sessions are focused on the development of self-determination. The last five sessions are focused on working with others and the closure of the group. The individual goals of every participant are considered in the beginning of the group and a weekly follow-up of goals is conducted.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Spain	Ramon Llull University. Faculty of Psychology, Sciences of Education and Sports Blanquerna	Barcelona
Spain	University of Barcelona	Barcelona

Sponsors (4)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University Ramon Llull	Fundació Friends, Hospital de Mataró, University of Barcelona

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Spain, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change from baseline Self-determination after 20 sessions (Quantitative measure: self-report)	Self-Determination Inventory: Student Report (SDI:SR). The Spanish adaptation was used.; It is a self-report measure that evaluates the three dimensions of self-determination based on Causal Agency Theory (volitional action, agentic action and action-control beliefs) as well as the total self-determination scores.	At baseline and after the completion of the intervention (20 weeks later)
Primary	Self-determination (Qualitative measure)	Focus groups to evaluate the changes after the completion of the intervention. Questions related to the three dimensions of self-determination will be asked (volitional action, agentic action and action-control beliefs) in accordance with the quantitative measures to allow a joint display of the results following a mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative). The focus groups will only be conducted for the intervention groups.	After the completion of the intervention (20 weeks later)
Primary	Change from baseline Self-determination after 20 sessions (Quantitative measure: proxy-report)	AUTODDIS Scale. It is a proxy-report measure that evaluates the three dimensions of self-determination based on Causal Agency Theory (volitional action, agentic action and action-control beliefs) as well as the total self-determination scores. The internal consistency of these sections was excellent (between a = .948 to a = .962), as well as for the entire scale (a = .983), and there is also evidence of its validity.	At baseline and after the completion of the intervention (20 weeks later)