Can a zoom class help autistic adults build better relationships?
NCT ID NCT05608083
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a 6-session online class called HEARTS helps autistic adults feel more satisfied with their friendships and dating relationships, compared to a 6-week online discussion group. Ninety-two autistic adults took part over three months, completing surveys about their thoughts, feelings, and social health. The goal was to see if the class is feasible and whether it improves how participants handle rejection and build connections.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- HEARTS classes (behavioral intervention)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a practical, low-cost way to improve social well-being for autistic adults.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small feasibility study, not a large trial. Results may not apply to all autistic adults, and any benefits might be modest or short-lived.
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
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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
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92 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Feb 2023
- Finished
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Jul 2024
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosed with autism by a healthcare provider or other professional * Willing to be randomized to either HEARTS or the active control condition (ACC) * Have not already participated in the study, nor in the HEARTS class previously * English speaking Exclusion Criteria: * unwilling or unable to provide informed consent by themselves * have participated at any time previously in HEARTS research or the HEARTS class * are unable to understand English
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Boston University CRC
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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