Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Teens With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Their Caregivers

This project will evaluate the effectiveness of MINDful TIME, an 8-week mindfulness-based program designed to improve mental health in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers. MINDful TIME includes weekly psychoeducational group meetings conducted through videoconferencing and use of a commercially available mindfulness meditation app. We predict that adolescents in the mindfulness intervention group will demonstrate increases in self-reported mindfulness and reductions in self- and parent-reported anxiety and depression relative to a delayed treatment control group. We will also explore whether caregivers in the treatment group demonstrate improvements in quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria:Adolescents must be ages 13 to 18 yearsFormal clinical or educational ASD diagnosis confirmed by the study team (i.e., review of the formal diagnostic or educational report)Must be willing to be randomized to a treatment or delayed treatment control groupMust be able to attend at least 7 of the 8 group meetingsEnglish speaking: Adolescents and their parent/caregivers must be English-speaking because the screening and behavioral measures are in English, as well as the intervention contentParticipants must live in the state of Arizona, USAExclusion Criteria:Non-verbal participants will be excluded to ensure test compliance and increase sample homogeneity.Participants with IQ scores <70 will be excluded because the intervention was developed for individuals without intellectual disabilities.Participants with a physical disability or co-occurring condition that may prevent participation in the weekly group meetings (e.g., selective mutism; aggressive behavior; inability to participate in a 90-minute video conference meeting each week)Participants who report active suicidal ideation