Psychoeducation program for older adults with autism
Tests autism training for care staff and an education course for older adults with autism.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Psychoeducation for Older Adults With Autism
Key facts
- Where
- 's-Hertogenbosch, Apeldoorn, Deventer, Eindhoven, Enschede, Halsteren, Heerlen, Hoorn, Tilburg, and Venray, NetherlandsSee the 11 sites
Where in Netherlands
- Reinier van Arkel's-Hertogenbosch, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- GGNet Ouderen (Elderly)Apeldoorn, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- DimenceDeventer, NetherlandsTaking people
- GGzE NestorEindhoven, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- SeneVita GGZEindhoven, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- GGz MediantEnschede, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- GGz WNB Ouderen (Elderly)Halsteren, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- Mondriaan Ouderen (Elderly)Heerlen, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- GGz NHN FrailtyHoorn, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
- GGz Breburg PersonaCuraTilburg, NetherlandsTaking people
- Vincent van Gogh Ouderen (Elderly)Venray, NetherlandsNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Tilburg University
- Trial code
- NCT06127472
- Record updated
- 18 May 2026
- Original description
Until recently, autism in older adults went unrecognised. Although there has been more attention to autism in older adults in recent years, there is still a lot of unfamiliarity with the phenomenon and underdiagnosis in (mental) health care. Many care providers are reluctant to diagnose autism in later life, due to a lack of knowledge about autism in older adults and because there is still very little scientific knowledge available for this target group. Although several multidisciplinary guidelines for autism in adults prescribe that after the diagnosis psycho-education is the first step in treatment, psycho-education is still only offered in a few places in the Netherlands. Psycho-education is important to help older people gain knowledge about their autism, to help them understand and accept this diagnosis, in order to subsequently make the treatment of the problems, with which they turn to the mental health care, more appropriate and effective.Read full original descriptionShow less
Support With Psychoeducation for Older Adults With Autism Study
Until recently, autism in older adults went unrecognised. Although there has been more attention to autism in older adults in recent years, there is still a lot of unfamiliarity with the phenomenon and underdiagnosis in (mental) health care. Many care providers are reluctant to diagnose autism in later life, due to a lack of knowledge about autism in older adults and because there is still very little scientific knowledge available for this target group. Although several multidisciplinary guidelines for autism in adults prescribe that after the diagnosis psycho-education is the first step in treatment, psycho-education is still only offered in a few places in the Netherlands. Psycho-education is important to help older people gain knowledge about their autism, to help them understand and accept this diagnosis, in order to subsequently make the treatment of the problems, with which they turn to the mental health care, more appropriate and effective.
The aim of this study is to contribute to better recognition and diagnosis of autism among older adults. This research also aims to improve a psycho-education program for older adults and investigate its effects.
The scientific research question is whether training in ASD for health care professionals results in better recognition and detection of ASD in older adults, and whether participation in the psycho-education course for older adults, who have been diagnosed with autism, or have received a probability diagnosis ASD, contributes to improvement of mental health and quality of life.
Inclusion: minimum of 55 years old; diagnosed with ASD or a probability diagnosis by a multidisciplinary team according to the Dutch multidisciplinary guideline, as confirmed by the DSM-5 interview for ASD (Spek, n.d.), or the Netherlands Interview for Diagnosis of ASD in adults (NIDA; Vuijk, 2023).
Exclusion: comorbid mental disorder that needs acute treatment and severely interferes with a group treatment (for example psychosis),; a major neurocognitive disorder (for example dementia or acquired brain injury),; substance abuse disorder, that requires detoxification, and/or; an IQ below 70.