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Comparing Two Different Emotion Therapies for Autistic Youth and Young Adults

The Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement (EASE) Program Versus the Unified Protocol (UP)

Who can join

Ages 10 to 30 · All sexes

Inclusion Criteria:

* professional diagnosis of ASD
* a score in the clinical range on the EDI-Reactivity or EDI-Dysphoria scale based on caregiver report or self-report
* The study is open to people with a range of communication abilities. Participants must be able to consent to the study themselves and answer questions about themselves.
* Participants need to have a support person that could answer questions about them too. This could be a parent, caregiver, family member, partner or friend. Independent adults can opt out of this portion.
* Participants must live in Alabama or Pennsylvania.

Exclusion Criteria:

\- Higher level of care is needed (Imminent Suicide / Homicide Threat, acute psychosis, mania)

About the study

Too few clinicians are able and willing to help autistic patients. A recent review identified challenges to mental health service delivery in autism, including a lack of interventions designed for community implementation and limited workforce capacity. It has been argued that improving impairment in emotion regulation has the potential to improve a range of mental health difficulties in autistic people. In this clinical trial, the investigators are comparing two evidence-based interventions for emotion regulation, to determine if one created specifically for autistic people is clinically superior. The interventions will be implemented in the community, through partnering agencies.

What is being tested

• The Emotion Awareness and Skills Enhancement Program (behavioral)
• The Unified Protocol (behavioral)

Sponsor: University of Pittsburgh · Participants: 470 · Started: Apr 8, 2024

Contact the study team

• Kara Duman, MSW · Phone: 1-866-647-3436
• Madison Bradley · Phone: 205-348-2472

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT06158581

Locations in the U.S.

Conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.