NCT06107972

Developing a Culturally Adapted Intervention for Latino Youth Transitioning to Adulthood

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 56 (actual)
• Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 25 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility (e.g., satisfaction, completion rate, barriers to recruitment, treatment fidelity) of the culturally refined Launching! to Adulthood (¡Iniciando! la Adultez) program, to test for a preliminary signal of effect between baseline and post-treatment for the Launching! to Adulthood (¡Iniciando! la Adultez) program and to identify preliminary neural mechanisms of action, including biomarkers of brain structure and connectivity, in terms of treatment response for 15 Latino young adults participating in the ¡Iniciando! therapy program.

Detailed description

The Launching! to Adulthood (¡Iniciando! la Adultez) program uses a culturally sensitive therapy program that was translated into Spanish to help Latino young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who are transitioning to adulthood (18-25 years old) and their parents. The program aims to make the transition to adulthood easier for young adults and their families, and it includes specific cultural values of Latino young adults and their family members. The ¡Iniciando! la adultez program helps autistic young adults manage mental health needs like depression and anxiety and also addresses several areas impacting transition, including mental health barriers, executive functioning, and motivation. The ¡Iniciando! program also helps parents manage their own needs and addresses several areas, including psychoeducation and mental health.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Launching! to Adulthood (¡Iniciando! la Adultez) program	The program includes cognitive behavioral and acceptance and commitment therapy, with a focus on developing goals during the transition to adulthood through a values framework. After a combined (parents and young adults) 90-minute introductory group meeting in-person, parents and the transition-aged young adults with ASD attend 9 separate, 90-minute weekly group telehealth meetings. Additionally, young adults have weekly personal coaching meetings for 30-minutes to discuss progress toward goals and barriers encountered. Leaders teach transition-aged young adult's skills through various social activities, as well as other skills (e.g., emotion regulation, cognitive diffusion) to help overcome barriers towards their goals. The treatment targets three core factors (i.e., mental health conditions, social skills, and coping with and adapting to stress). Leaders teach parents new parenting skills, knowledge of ASD, and readiness to support their young adult's transition to independent life.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-04-01
• Primary completion: 2025-11-01
• Completion: 2025-12-31
• First posted: 2023-10-30
• Last updated: 2025-08-27

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States