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Can a tailored therapy ease anxiety and depression in autistic teens?

NCT ID NCT05738967

NEW Symptom relief Sponsor: Baylor College of Medicine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 21, 2026 · Last updated Sep 21, 2026

Summary

Researchers are testing a cognitive behavioral therapy program designed for autistic teens who have anxiety, depression, or both. The therapy focuses on exposure and behavioral activation, with adjustments for autism. Teens and their caregivers take part together. The trial compares this approach with usual community care to see which works better.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
A cognitive behavioral therapy program adapted for autistic teens, focused on exposure therapy and behavioral activation
What this could lead to
If it works, this could give families a therapy designed specifically for autistic teens with anxiety or depression, rather than adapting standard approaches.
What could go wrong
The trial is small and early, so results may not hold up in larger groups. Therapy takes time and effort from both teens and caregivers, and not everyone responds to CBT.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

47 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Mar 2023

Finished

May 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

10 to 17 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Child is between the ages of 12-17 at consent/assent. * The child meets criteria for autism spectrum disorder using evidence-based assessment approaches (e.g., Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition; Childhood Autism Rating Scale-Second Edition). * The child meets criteria for clinically significant anxiety and/or depression symptoms based on elevated scores on the Pediatric Anxiety Rating Scale modified for Autism Spectrum Disorder (\>11) and/or the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (\>39). * Anxiety/depressive disorder is the primary presenting problem as determined by administration of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview * One parent/guardian is able and willing to participate. * The parent/guardian is 18 years or older. * Both parent and child can read and/or understand English. * Both parent and child reside in Texas. Exclusion Criteria: * The child has a diagnosis of psychotic disorder and/or conduct disorder. * The child has severe suicidal/homicidal ideation and/or self-injury requiring immediate intervention and/or a higher level of care. * The child has limited verbal communication abilities. * The child is receiving concurrent psychotherapy for anxiety/depression. * The child has initiated psychotropic medications within 12 weeks of assessments (or 4 weeks for stimulants/benzodiazepines) or during therapy, and/or has changed dosage of psychotropic medication within 6 weeks of assessment (or 2 weeks for stimulants/benzodiazepines) or during therapy.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anxiety anxiety disorder autism autism spectrum disorder Depression depressive disorder mental disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Anxiety Autism Depression Emotional disorder

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Baylor Psychiatry Clinic

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

More trials for these conditions

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