Mental Health in Autistic Adults: An RDoC Approach

University Of Pittsburgh At Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT– Dissemination and Partnership Core The Dissemination and Partnership Core uses novel participatory methods to engage the autistic community while simultaneously developing the careers of researchers from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. In these efforts, the primary aims of the Dissemination and Partnership Core are to: (1) Establish and convene the Autistic Partners Group to enhance all Center community engagement, dissemination, and training activities. We will use participatory methods to establish the Autistic Partners Group, a team of diverse autistic community members that will partner with investigators for all community engagement, dissemination, and training efforts. Convening of the Autistic Partners Group will be co-facilitated by a researcher and autistic community leader ten times annually; (2) Create an inclusive and supportive research environment that attends to intersectionality and prioritizes engaging diverse autistic adults and their allies. Using messaging co- developed in our Autistic Partners Group (Specific Aim 1), we will engage with community partners to prioritize participation by autistic adults from groups that have been marginalized (e.g. racial and ethnic identities, female sex, LGBTQIA+ community, intellectual disability, and rural and under-resourced communities). Using established partnerships, we will engage in community activities, such as ‘pop-up’ events and registering a booth at the local Pride festival, to increase visibility and enhance recruitment efforts in intersectional communities; (3) Partner with autistic adults to co-develop materials for disseminating research to autistic and neurodiverse communities. We will partner with local autistic adults to co-develop dissemination materials (e.g. infographics; photographic representation; videography; social stories; the Center website) to distribute in the community; (4) Speed the translation of research to practice by disseminating findings to community-based providers serving autistic adults. Each year, we will host a continuing education seminar series on mental health and suicide risk of autistic adults across 4 different practitioner settings (i.e. psychiatric hospitals, primary care providers, post-secondary education and vocational rehabilitation, and community mental health clinics); (5) Enhance the scientific community by disseminating our research of impact broadly; and (6) Enhance diversity in the autism scientific community by developing careers of students and early career investigators. We will facilitate monthly Center-wide career development seminars and writing clubs for all Center trainees, with an emphasis on supporting new investigators from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. The Dissemination and Partnership core will work together with the Clinical Core to prioritize research participation by autistic adults from groups that have been marginalized. This will simultaneously expand and strengthen our community partnerships while enhancing recruitment of diverse autistic adults. This participatory approach will address existing structural inequities in autism research, by centering the voices of the autistic community and increasing diversity in sampling pools and among scientific researchers.