There is an urgent need for developmentally appropriate mental health interventions for autistic youth, particularly during the transition to adulthood. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a strengths-based, goal-oriented intervention that emphasizes collaboration and family involvement, aligning with recommendations for supporting autistic individuals.
This project builds on prior work adapting SFBT into the Supportive Outcomes through Listening, Validation, and Empowerment (SOLVE) intervention for autistic young adults. Following promising pilot findings demonstrating the intervention’s feasibility, acceptability, and potential to improve quality of life and empowerment, the project will refine the intervention for adolescents and young adults and evaluate its effectiveness through a randomized controlled trial with transition-aged autistic youth. The project also aims to disseminate the SOLVE intervention to organizations across Texas who wish to implement this evidence-based mental health service.