Side Menu Card

Research Studies

Autism Integrated Care Program Research Studies

Find research studies available to children cared for by the Autism Integrated Care Program team.
Contact us

Search Research Studies

Clinical trial
Children (7)
Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies (7)
Adults (5)
Healthy Controls (2)
One-Time Visit Studies (1)

Clinical Trial Phases
Pilot (2)
N/A (8)

Recruitment Status
Recruiting (8)
Non-recruiting (2)

Related Specialties and Programs
Autism Integrated Care Program (10)
Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (4)
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (3)

Specialty
Behavioral Sciences (3)
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (10)

Adolescent Communication of Emotion Study (ACES)

The purpose of this study is to understand how children and adolescents respond to different emotions and social situations. This study is open to children between the ages of 12-17 years old. We are looking for typically developing children as well as children who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), anxiety or depression. Participation would consist of up to two in-person visits to the Center for Autism Research at CHOP to complete brief cognitive testing and participate in activities and interact with research staff. 

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Children, Healthy Controls

Approach Avoidance Model of Repetitive Behaviors

The goal of this research study is to learn about experiences with repetitive behaviors from autistic teens and their families. In order to learn about your experiences with repetitive behaviors, you will be invited to complete a set of online questionnaires about your (or your teen's) experiences. The goal of this study is to promote advocacy and transparency for autistic teens' lived experiences. A small subset of teens may also be asked to complete a brain MRI and additional behavioral assessments, if they are interested. Participating in the MRI and further behavioral assessments is voluntary and is not required to complete the online surveys.

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Children, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies

Autism Quality of Life

The purpose of this research study is to test how well a common, standardized quality of life tool measures quality of life among children on the autism spectrum who are minimally verbal or have an intellectual disability. Parents/ caregivers of autistic children (ages 5-17) who are minimally verbal or have an intellectual disability are eligible to participate in the study.

About 35% of children on the autism spectrum also have an intellectual disability, so it is important to include families with autistic children who are minimally verbal and/or have intellectual disability in research.

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: No

Category: Adults, Children, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies

BUFFET-Snack: Food Selectivity Study for Autistic Youth
The Building Up Food Flexibility and Exposure Treatment (BUFFET) program helps autistic children 8-12 years old to be more flexible with trying new or non-preferred foods. BUFFET-Snack is a brief version of this treatment program. The goal of this study is to see if families can complete BUFFET-Snack and if they like it.
BUFFET-Snack is a cognitive behavioral therapy. It will be a good fit for children who can communicate with full sentences and have some back-and-forth conversation skills.

Phase: Pilot

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Children

Developing a Romantic Relationships Program for Autistic Young Adults with Intellectual Disability

We are making a program to teach autistic young adults with intellectual disability (ID) about romantic relationships. We are partnering with:

  • Young adults (18+) who have autism and mild/moderate intellectual disability 
  • Parents and guardians of young adults (18+) who have autism and mild/moderate intellectual disability 

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Adults, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies

Drive Focus Study
We are asking teens with autism between the ages of 16-21 who have expressed interest in learning how to drive or have received their learner's permit in the past year, and their parent/primary caregiver to participate in an interview study. The purpose of this study is to inform the development of driver training technology for autistic individuals who are interested in learning to drive. Participants will be asked to complete one or two interviews where they are shown images of the app and/or asked to test itout on a study-provided tablet. Interviews will take approximately 60 minutes. Participants will receive compensation for participation.

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: No

Category: One-Time Visit Studies

Pathways to ASD Diagnosis
The purpose of the study is to learn more about the experience of caregivers who have a child diagnosed with autism. We also want to better understand what is working well in healthcare in the US. This study is open to primary caregivers of a child (aged 3-17) who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in the last year. Participants must have immigrated to the US and identify as Hispanic or Latinx. Study staff will interview participants about their experiences as a caregiver of an autistic child. This one-time interview will last 60-90 minutes in Spanish or English.

Phase: Pilot

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Adults, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies

PEDSnet Research Prioritization Strategy
PEDSnet and DBPNet seek youth (13-24), parents, and clinicians/scientists for the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Research Prioritization Study. The goal is to develop a prioritized list of research questions that will immediately impact patient health outcomes, focusing on children with IDD.

Participants will answer open-ended questions on Viva Engage, a Microsoft platform, to share their thoughts and opinions. The study is entirely online, and parents and youth will be compensated for their time. To participate or learn more, complete our eligibility screener.

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Adults, Children, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies

Ready to CONNECT: Conversation and Language in Teens

Conversations are important for getting along in everyday life, but we don't really know what makes them successful. This study aims to find out what factors help make conversations better. By looking at different talking styles and techniques, we want to learn how to have more effective and enjoyable conversations. We are seeking volunteers between 12-15 years old both with and without autism and their families to partner with us.

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Children, Healthy Controls, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies

SPARK: Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge
The mission of SPARK is to ignite research at an unprecedented scale to improve lives by advancing our understanding of autism. To join this national autism research cohort, individuals with a professional diagnosis of autism and their biological family members will be asked to share information about their medical and family history, as well as provide a DNA sample. 

Phase: N/A

Actively recruiting: Yes

Category: Adults, Children, Remote (Online / Phone Call Only) Studies