Brain Activity Changes After Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety in Autistic Youth From High-Need Communities

Inclusion Criteria:

• Between the ages of 8 and 14

• Have significant deficits in reciprocal social behavior as defined by a score of 11or above on the parent-report SCQ questionnaire

• Are verbally fluent in English, enabling them to participate in the appropriatemodules (3 or 4) of the researcher-administered ADOS-2

• Have an estimated verbal IQ of 70 or above as determined by theresearcher-administered KBIT-2

• Have clinically significant anxiety symptoms as defined by significant elevations oneither the parent-report SCARED questionnaire or the parent-report PRAS-ASDquestionnaire

• Have a legal guardian who can provide consent for their child's participation aswell as their own participation in the intervention alongside their child. If thelegal guardian is unable to participate in the intervention themselves but wouldlike for their child to receive the intervention with another caregiver who liveswith the child, the legal guardian will still be the one to sign the consent form,but will provide permission for another caregiver (logged on the consent form) toparticipate in the intervention alongside the child

Exclusion Criteria:

• Fail to meet any of the above inclusion criteria

• If it is determined by the research team via parent report or direct observationthat the child has a severe medical or psychiatric impairment (e.g., psychosis,severe aggressive behavior, or other severe clinical symptoms) that require moreintensive treatment such as day treatment or hospitalization