Youth Social Skills Treatment Study
Our study involves behavioral and neuroimaging assessments of adolescents, ages 12-21, with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD). Selected participants will be invited to undergo the caregiver-assisted PEERS®16-week social skills training. The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is world-renowned for providing evidence-based social skills treatment to preschoolers, adolescents, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and other socio-emotional problems. Our study will also recruit typically developing adolescents to undergo assessments and brain scans. All participants will be paid for involvement in assessments and brain scans. Our study is currently funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
Sensory processing and Executive functioning Neuropsychological impact on Sleep Efficiency (SENSE) Study
This study aims to examine developmental trajectories of sleep disturbances in youth with ASD and SSD aged 3-21 years and its impact on neuropsychological and behavioral outcomes, especially within the sensory processing and executive functioning domains. Typically developing participants will also be recruited for this study. Participation involves behavioral assessments, questionnaires, and objective measurement of sleep quality using actigraphy for a limited period of time. All participants will be paid for their involvement in study components. This study is currently funded by Autism Speaks.
Study to Investigate the Effect of Sleep Treatment for families of children with Autism (SIESTA) Study
This research project was started to compare two brief family-based interventions aimed at improving health and behavior outcomes of youth with ASD aged 3-10 years. Participation involves 1 in-person lab visit, 3 bi-weekly hour-long online intervention sessions, and objective measurement of sleep quality using actigraphy for a limited period of time. Findings from this study will help inform development of sleep interventions for youth with ASD and improve outcomes by making these interventions more accessible for families. All participants will be paid for their involvement in study components. Please visit the study website for more information: https://www.siestaproject.net/. This study is currently funded by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).