This project will develop a self-paced, adaptive resilience education intervention designed specifically to meet the learning styles and social-emotional needs of students with HF-ASD. The researchers will create a wireframe prototype through testing and feedback with students with HF-ASD. Following this prototype development, the researchers will script instructional content, interactive exercises, graphics and video elements, scoring algorithms for measuring progress. These components will then be integrated within the overall system. Iterative refinements will be conducted at major production milestones until the product is fully functional. Once development is complete, the researchers will assess the usability and feasibility, fidelity of implementation, and the promise of the product to improve student outcomes. The team will conduct a randomized controlled study including 100 students with HF-ASD recruited from an estimated 50 high schools. For the study, schools will randomly assign half of the students to either use the intervention or not. Students will complete a pre- and post-test on measures assessing knowledge and understanding of possible domains following high school, coping and self-advocacy skills, and enhanced self-efficacy. Qualitative data will also be collected from teachers via questionnaires.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
Autism Research Database (AFD)
