NCT07637799Recruiting
Feasibility Study of UP-A-AST Parent Group for Adolescents With Autism and Co-occurring Anxiety/Depression
Unified Protocol-Adolescent Autism Parent Group (UP-A-AST) for Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Co-occurring Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders: A Feasibility Study
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 10 Jun 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is associated with high rates of psychiatric comorbidity, particularly anxiety and depressive disorders, which contribute to significant impairment for affected youth and their families. Although cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is recommended as a first-line treatment for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents, there is a lack of evidence-based interventions specifically adapted for youth with ASD and co-occurring emotional disorders. The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C/UP-A) is a CBT-based intervention targeting shared mechanisms underlying anxiety and depression. A parent-mediated adaptation, the Unified Protocol-Adolescent Autism Parent Group (UP-A-AST), has been developed to address the specific needs of adolescents with ASD and co-occurring anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Preliminary quality improvement work has shown promising results. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects of the UP-A-AST Parent Group in a child and adolescent outpatient psychiatric setting. The study will include parents of adolescents aged 12-17 years with ASD and co-occurring anxiety and/or depressive disorders. Outcomes include changes in adolescents' psychiatric symptoms and functional impairment, as well as parents' perceived parenting competence. Additionally, parents' experiences of participating in the intervention will be explored.
- Status (registry)
- Recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 72 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 31 Mar 2026
- Start date
- 5 Jan 2026
- Primary completion date
- 30 Dec 2026
- Lead sponsor
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital
- Diseases
- Autism
- NCT number
- NCT07637799
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 72
- From 5 Jan 2026 to the primary completion date, 30 Dec 2026
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- Presence of a severe psychiatric disorder, such as psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, or severe eating disorder
- The adolescent is primarily in need of basic interventions for autism spectrum disorder
Other
- High suicide risk or suicide attempt within the past 12 months
- Severe self-injurious behavior
- Intellectual disability according to DSM-5
- Parents are unable to attend all group sessions and/or lack the ability to engage in assigned home practice
- Need for an interpreter
Who the study is looking for
- Adolescents aged 12-17 years
- Clinical diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to DSM-IV, DSM-5, or ICD-10
- Current diagnosis of anxiety disorder and/or depressive disorder according to DSM-5
- Ongoing contact with a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (BUP) outpatient clinic
- Stable psychopharmacological treatment at the time of inclusion (if applicable)
- Parents has participated in a psychoeducational program on autism within child and adolescent psychiatric services, or is assessed by the clinician to have equivalent knowledge
Age in the registry: 12 years to - · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUP- Specialmottagning, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Gothenburg | Sweden | Recruiting |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.