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Sponsor: Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Depressive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders
Interventions: CBT-DAY (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Autistic Youth), Treatment-as-Usual (TAU)
Countries: United States
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression in Autistic Youth (CBT-DAY) can improve depressive symptoms and related mechanisms in autistic youth aged 11-17 years with depression receiving care in outpatient clinical settings. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does CBT-DAY lead to greater reductions in depressive symptom severity compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU)? * Does CBT-DAY improve key mechanisms (emotional reactivity, self-esteem, and autism self-knowledge) associated with depression outcomes? Researchers will compare CBT-DAY versus treatment-as-usual (TAU) to see if CBT-DAY results in greater improvements in depressive symptoms and related outcomes. Participants will: * Complete baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 3-month follow-up assessments (surveys and interviews) * Be randomly assigned to receive either 12 weeks of CBT-DAY or treatment-as-usual * Participate in therapy sessions during the 12-week intervention period * Complete follow-up assessments three months after treatment to evaluate longer-term outcomes
Sex: ALL
Age: 11 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers: No
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Inclusion Criteria: Autistic youth: * Age 11 to 17 years * Prior clinical diagnosis of autism (per record review) * At least a fifth grade reading level * An ability to engage in sessions verbally (i.e., full length sentences) * Elevated symptoms of depression at baseline (RCADS) * Depression is a current clinical concern and participant is appropriate for intervention (per investigator determination) * At least one parent/caregiver willing and able to participate * Eligible to receive services at CHLA * If taking psychotropic medication, regimen must be stable for at least 8 weeks prior to baseline Parents/Caregivers: * Age 18 years or older * Parent or legal guardian of participating youth * Able to provide informed consent * Comfortable reading, writing, or speaking English or Spanish * Willing to participate in study procedures Exclusion Criteria: Autistic youth: * Lifetime diagnosis of bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder, or intellectual disability * Severe suicidal or homicidal ideation or self-injury requiring immediate higher-level care * Currently receiving psychotherapy for depression * Changes in psychotropic medication regimen during study participation (participants may be withdrawn) * A reading level below fifth-grade * An inability to engage in sessions verbally (i.e., nonverbal, minimally verbal) Parents/Caregivers: * Not the parent or legal guardian of the participating youth * Unable to provide informed consent * Not comfortable reading, writing, or speaking English or Spanish * Unwilling to participate in study procedures
- Los Angeles, California, United States