Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Single-Session Growth-Mindset Intervention for Internalizing Symptoms in Autistic Youth

Alan H. Gerber; Allison Nahmias; Jessica L. Schleider; Matthew D. Lerner

doi:10.1007/s10803-024-06341-2

Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Single-Session Growth-Mindset Intervention for Internalizing Symptoms in Autistic Youth

Alan H. Gerber^*, Allison Nahmias, Jessica L. Schleider, Matthew D. Lerner

^*Corresponding author for this work

Medical Social Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Autistic youth experience elevated rates of co-occurring internalizing symptoms. Interventions to treat internalizing symptoms in autistic youth are almost uniformly costly and time-intensive, blunting dissemination of intervention and highlighting the need for scalable solutions. One promising option is a relatively new class of evidence-based treatments, single-session interventions (SSIs), however, no study has examined SSIs for depression symptoms in autistic youth. Participants included 40 autistic adolescents ranging in age from 11 to 16 (M_age = 14.22, N_male = 32). Eligible youth who agreed to participate were randomized to either the active intervention (Project Personality), or an active control designed to mimic supportive therapy. Participants and their caregiver completed questionnaires immediately before, after, and three months post intervention. All participants completed the intervention independently and largely reported enjoying it. The intervention was delivered with 100% fidelity. Findings demonstrated improvements in perceived primary control, malleability of personality, and social competence relative to the active control group immediately post-intervention. Further, results revealed improvements in self-reported depression symptoms and parent reported emotional regulation at 3-month follow up. This study was the first to assess a GM-SSI designed to treat depression symptoms in autistic adolescents. Results indicated improvements in perceived control immediately post-intervention and downstream improvements in depression. Nonetheless, we did not find improvements in symptoms of anxiety, suggesting that autistic adolescents may require modifications to the intervention to maximize benefit. Findings demonstrate the utility of GM-SSI for internalizing symptoms for autistic youth and hold considerable promise as a low-intensity and scalable intervention.

Original language	English (US)
Journal	Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-024-06341-2
State	Accepted/In press - 2024

Funding

This research was supported by grants from the Autism Research Institute and Society for Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology to MDL as well as a grant from Autism Science Foundation to AN. In addition, effort by AG was supported by an NIMH T32 Fellowship (MH18268). JLS has received funding from the National Institute of Health Office of the Director (DP5OD028123), National Institute of Mental Health (R43MH128075), the Upswing Fund for Adolescent Mental Health, the National Science Foundation (2141710), Health Research and Services Association (U3NHP45406-01-00), the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, HopeLab, Kooth, Child Mind Institute, TRAILS to Wellness, and the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation. Preparation of this article was supported in part by the Implementation Research Institute (IRI), at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis; through an award from the National Institute of Mental Health (R25MH080916; JLS is an IRI Fellow). MDL was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01MH110585 [PI: Lerner]) in the course of preparing this manuscript. The authors wish to thank all the participating families and staff for their time and effort.

Keywords

Adolescents
Autism
GM-SSI
Growth mindset
SSI
Single session intervention

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology

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10.1007/s10803-024-06341-2

Cite this

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title = "Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Single-Session Growth-Mindset Intervention for Internalizing Symptoms in Autistic Youth",

abstract = "Autistic youth experience elevated rates of co-occurring internalizing symptoms. Interventions to treat internalizing symptoms in autistic youth are almost uniformly costly and time-intensive, blunting dissemination of intervention and highlighting the need for scalable solutions. One promising option is a relatively new class of evidence-based treatments, single-session interventions (SSIs), however, no study has examined SSIs for depression symptoms in autistic youth. Participants included 40 autistic adolescents ranging in age from 11 to 16 (Mage = 14.22, Nmale = 32). Eligible youth who agreed to participate were randomized to either the active intervention (Project Personality), or an active control designed to mimic supportive therapy. Participants and their caregiver completed questionnaires immediately before, after, and three months post intervention. All participants completed the intervention independently and largely reported enjoying it. The intervention was delivered with 100% fidelity. Findings demonstrated improvements in perceived primary control, malleability of personality, and social competence relative to the active control group immediately post-intervention. Further, results revealed improvements in self-reported depression symptoms and parent reported emotional regulation at 3-month follow up. This study was the first to assess a GM-SSI designed to treat depression symptoms in autistic adolescents. Results indicated improvements in perceived control immediately post-intervention and downstream improvements in depression. Nonetheless, we did not find improvements in symptoms of anxiety, suggesting that autistic adolescents may require modifications to the intervention to maximize benefit. Findings demonstrate the utility of GM-SSI for internalizing symptoms for autistic youth and hold considerable promise as a low-intensity and scalable intervention.",

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Results from a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Single-Session Growth-Mindset Intervention for Internalizing Symptoms in Autistic Youth

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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