A Comparison of Two School Based Interventions to Manage Anxiety in Autistic Students

Inclusion Criteria: There are 3 groups of participants: students, caregivers and interdisciplinary school providers:

Inclusion criteria for students ages 8-14:

* known medical diagnosis of ASD OR educational identification of ASD OR suspected ASD
* clinical anxiety according to either student, parent or teacher report
* clinically significant impairment (T-score above 70) in reciprocal social behavior according to the Social Responsiveness Scale - Second Edition (SRS-2).

Exclusion criteria for students

* known intellectual disability
* significant behavior or psychiatric challenge that prevents them from participation in small group activities
* lack of parent or caregiver permission for participation

Inclusion Criteria for Caregivers of students 8-14

\- legal guardian of a student who meets inclusion criteria defined above

Inclusion criteria for Interdisciplinary school providers (ISPs).

* degreed professionals in one of the following: education (special or general education), school psychology, counseling, social work, speech/language pathology, occupational or physical therapy OR paraprofessional who assist ISPs
* working with autistic students with anxiety
* be able to complete study requirements including attending the training workshops, delivering at least 80% of the program they were randomized to, and participating in 80% of bi-monthly consultation sessions with the research team.

Exclusion criteria ISPs

* if they are unable to participate in the trainings, deliver the program they are assigned to, or participate in any of the consultation visits
* if they do not work with students with autism and anxiety