Future Research Needs: Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Future Research Needs Paper Number 20
Synopsis "Future Research Needs: Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Future Research Needs Paper Number 20"
This Future Research Needs (FRN) report is based on a draft Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality comparative effectiveness review titled Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults with autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of the review was to synthesize recent research focused on interventions for adolescents and young adults between the ages of 13 and 30 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD; autistic disorder, Asperger's syndrome, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified). We addressed questions related to: the effectiveness of therapies targeting core symptoms of ASD (impairments in communication, social interaction, and behavior); common medical or mental health comorbidities, including associated symptoms such as irritability; the process of transitioning to adulthood; and family outcomes. The Key Questions (KQs) for the review include: KQ1: Among adolescents and young adults with ASD, what are the effects of available interventions on the core symptoms of ASD? KQ2: Among adolescents and young adults with ASD, what are the effects of available interventions on common medical and mental health comorbidities (e.g., epilepsy, sleep disorders, motor impairments, obesity, depression, anxiety, acute and episodic aggression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, etc.)? KQ3: Among adolescents and young adults with ASD, what are the effects of available interventions on functional behavior, attainment of goals toward independence, educational attainment, occupational/vocational attainment, life satisfaction, access to health and other services, legal outcomes, and social outcomes? KQ4: Among adolescents and young adults with ASD, what is the effectiveness of interventions designed to support the transitioning process, specifically to affect attainment of goals toward independence, educational attainment, occupational/vocational attainment, life satisfaction, access to health and other services, legal outcomes, and social outcomes? KQ5: Among adolescents and young adults with ASD, what harms are associated with available interventions? (Harms are defined by the Effective Health Care Program as all possible adverse consequences of an intervention, including adverse events.) KQ6: What are the effects of interventions on family outcomes?
