High School SUCCESS: Vocational Soft Skills Program for Transition-Age ASD Youth
Condition: Autism Spectrum Disorder
MeSH terms: Autism Spectrum Disorder
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 1

Summary: 
      By utilizing community-based participatory research methods, this research was conducted in
      collaboration with the community through our partnership of researchers, educators, providers
      and consumers (Active Collaborative Hub for Individuals with ASD to Enhance Vocation and
      Education- ACHIEVE) to adapt a vocational soft skills program, Supported, Comprehensive
      Cognitive Enhancement & Social Skills (SUCCESS), for Transition Age Youth (TAY). The first
      step (years 1-2) involved adapting the intervention for autistic TAY by including feedback
      from multiple stakeholders and developing a curriculum to be implemented in both High Schools
      and Transition programs for the specific needs of autistic TAY and alpha piloting it. It
      involved understanding further the educational context for TAY students and current services
      available to prepare students for secondary outcomes of employment and/or college through a
      county wide survey. Step 2 (years 2-3) included pilot testing the feasibility, acceptability,
      implementation procedures and initial youth outcomes of the TAY SUCCESS intervention and
      further refining the curriculum and protocols. Findings demonstrated improvements in
      executive functioning and social functioning targets as well as distal outcomes of
      self-efficacy, mental health, educational and work behaviors and attitudes. The study results
      were disseminated through the ACHIEVE group as well as at conferences, website and
      publication.
    

Detailed description: 
      Aim: With our ACHIEVE partners , develop the High School Supported, Comprehensive Cognitive
      Enhancement and Social Skills (SUCCESS) program to fit the needs of transition-age youth with
      ASD within the community educational system.

        1. Standardize the TAY SUCCESS program by developing a facilitator manual, student workbook
           and corresponding support person materials.

        2. Develop a training protocol that can be individualized and implemented within the HS
           educational system to provide initial training and ongoing coaching for educators to
           reach and sustain intervention fidelity.

      Aim: Conduct a pilot study to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and implementation
      procedures (recruitment, randomization, retention & training strategies) of TAY SUCCESS and
      to obtain estimates of effects to support a future large-scale effectiveness trial.

        1. Examine intervention feasibility, acceptability, satisfaction, and sustainability.

        2. Examine preliminary outcomes (executive functioning and social functioning)
    

Intervention name(s): TAY SUCCESS; Usual Care
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Other
Intervention description(s): TAY SUCCESS stands for transition age youth supported, comprehensive cognitive enhancement and social skills. The cognitive-behavioral intervention teaches a number of strategies for executive functioning, social cognitive functioning and social communication.; Usual care involved the typical vocational supportive education program delivered in the educational setting
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: A small feasibility randomized clinical trial with randomization occurring at school site level. Two sites randomized to intervention and two sites randomized to control conditions.
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: executive functioning; social cognitions; social communication; transition age youth