Research Studies
A note for parents/caregivers and Autistic individuals interested in participating:
The following studies below are seeking participants! Some of these studies are a small time commitment and are research-based questionnaires only, while other studies may take place over a few months and include therapy, parent/caregiver training or coaching, or some other form of Autism support, therapy, or guidance. A few studies may involve compensation or a chance to get a gift card, which will be noted below.
Researchers: Do you want to post a study?
Please read our information on how to post a study here: https://tinyurl.com/StudyAST
The Autism Society of Texas has no affiliation with the organizations below and does not endorse or approve studies. All questions and concerns about studies should be directed to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and/or the poster of the study. Thank you!
_______________________
Featured Studies
The following organizations have made a donation to the Autism Society of Texas to be included in our “Featured Studies” section. We are grateful for donations that support our staff time and help us assist the Texas Autism community!
Liberty University
The purpose of this study will be to describe the lived experiences of women diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in adulthood in Texas.
End date of study enrollment period is 06/01/2024.
Time required for the study: Approximately 4 hours over the course of many days.
I am conducting research as part of the requirements for a Doctor of Education degree at Liberty University. The purpose of my research is to better understand women who were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in adulthood. To participate, you must be 18 years of age or older, a female, born and live in Texas, have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder since being an adult of 18 years old, and can fully communicate your experiences. Eligible and willing participants will be asked to respond to seven journal prompts in writing via Google Forms (45 minutes), participate in a recorded, virtual interview (1-2 hours), and take part in a recorded, virtual focus group (1 hour). If you would like to participate, please click the link provided at the end of this post to take a screening survey. A consent document will be provided via email before the study procedures begin.
Here’s the link if you are interested in participating: https://forms.gle/VEsJTAJ3r9eX9SVMA
For more information, please contact: Stephani Lapides at 956-207-8243 or email at: Slapides@liberty.edu
Baylor College of Medicine
The purpose of this study is to better understand how adolescents respond to different emotions and social situations.
End date of study enrollment period is June 1st, 2025.
Time required for the study: 6 hour, in-person visit
Compensation of approximately $145 will be offered.
If you know a child who is affected by anxiety, depression, or autism, you know that it can affect the way they respond to different emotions and social situations. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine are looking to understand these emotions better by using advanced computer technology that examines facial expressions and language use in teens with different mental health backgrounds with the hope that this information will help inform better diagnoses for a variety of conditions. We are inviting families with children between the ages of 12-17 with or without anxiety, depression, or autism to be part of this research study. Participants will receive psychological evaluation and compensation for their time. To learn more and get involved, contact Becca Greenberg at ACES-Study@bcm.edu or call us at 713.798.1918.
Texas Tech University
The purpose of this study is to gain insight from adults with autism on how the COVID-19 Pandemic may have affected their social dating life.
End date of study enrollment period is January 30th, 2024
Time required for the study: Less than one hour
We are seeking adults with autism to participate in a survey on how COVID-19 has affected their social dating lives. Your input is valuable in understanding the unique challenges and experiences faced by individuals on spectrum during the pandemic. Your participation will be anonymous and will help provide future support and resources for individuals with autism. Please consider taking the time to share your experiences and help us better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the social dating lives of adults with autism. Thank you for your consideration.
You can find more information about this study here.
If you are interested in participating, please contact Carlos Castaneda Ph.D. Candidate at carcasta@ttu.edu!
University of Texas at Austin
Sibwatch
To understand when and how to provide early intervention for infant/toddlers with an increased risk for Autism. Link to apply: https://sites.utexas.edu/sibwatch/
Time required for the study: 1-3 hours per week for 6 months
End date of study enrollment period is June 1, 2024
Participants are compensated with materials for assessments, gift card, and report about your child’s development.
We are looking for infant/toddler siblings of children diagnosed with autism. Siblings should be younger than 18 months old at time of enrollment, and have no formal diagnosis. All study activities are virtual and include regular developmental monitoring. Some parent participants will receive intervention strategies to support social communication development. Those who do not receive the intervention will have the opportunity to receive the intervention at the end of the study. A full developmental report will be provided for all participants.
Studies
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
Helping military families with young adults with autism transition to adulthood.
End date of study enrollment period: 03/31/2025
Time required for the study: 10 weeks
Participant Compensation: $40 for the focus groups and $100 for the pilot groups
Contact: Antonio Pagan Email: antonio.pagan@uth.tmc.edu Phone: 661-313-9149
For more information about the study: https://med.uth.edu/psychiatry/patient-care/launching-to-adulthood-program-2/
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
The purpose of this study is to get a better understanding of the relationship how individuals cope with or regulate their emotions, how they think they are managing with daily tasks such as paying attention to the tasks at hand, organizing their daily duties, and how they perceive their social life and health.
End date of study enrollment period: 06/30/2025
Time required for the study: 10-30 minutes
Participant Compensation: Through a lottery system, every 10 participants, one participant will be randomly selected to receive a $30 egiftcard.
The purpose of the present study is to understand the relationship between emotional regulation and executive functioning in adults with Bipolar Disorder and autistic traits. After completing our pre-screener, we will send you an email for the full survey where you will answer some questionnaires about your experiences. Your information will be kept confidential. You can email me at: antonio.pagan@uth.tmc.edu
Contact: Antonio Pagan Email: antonio.pagan@uth.tmc.edu Phone: 661-313-9149
University of Texas Health Science Center Houston
To help English-speaking young adults with autism and their Spanish-speaking parents navigate the transition to adulthood.
End date of study enrollment period: 10/23/2025
Time required for the study: 10 weeks
Participant Compensation: Parents and young adults can each receive $195 of gift cards.
Contact: Antonio Pagan Email: antonio.pagan@uth.tmc.edu Phone: 661-313-9149
For more information about the study: https://med.uth.edu/psychiatry/iniciando-la-adultez/
Texas Christian University
We are conducting a research study on the effectiveness of screening tools in detecting autism spectrum disorders in children of both sexes.
End date of study enrollment period: 10/01/2024
Time required for the study: 10 minutes
Participant Compensation: None
We are conducting a research study on the effectiveness of screening tools in detecting autism spectrum disorders in children of both sexes. We are seeking parents or caregivers of children between the ages of five and eleven whose children have received a formal ADOS score. Participation will take no more than 10 minutes and will involve filling out a short survey. Participation is completely voluntary, and data will be deidentified and stored on locked computers at TCU.
Contact: Claire Thompson Email: c.e.thompson8@tcu.edu Phone: 978-880-1068
For more information about the study: https://tcu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cFT1Cd3xAuHEADk
UT Health Science Center at Houston
To understand the experiences of autistic adults who have participated in psychiatric inpatient hospitalizations.
End date of study enrollment period: 08/23/2025
Time required for the study: 1.5 hours
Participant Compensation: None
Hi all, we are inviting you to participate in a research study focused on your experiences during psychiatric inpatient hospitalization. The purpose of this research is to better understand what adults undergo during psychiatric hospitalization in order to make recommendations to improve these experiences. If you agree to be in our study, we will ask you to complete a brief Qualtrics survey about you and your experiences, with the option to participate in a recorded Zoom session as well if you would like. Your total time commitment is expected to be a one time, 30-minute session to complete the Qualtrics survey, with an additional hour session if you complete the interview as well. Interviews will be conducted using a secured Zoom link. The survey can be completed at: https://uthtmc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0r1fVM2MMxXTscm
Contact: Juliana Vanderburg. Email: juliana.l.vanderburg@uth.tmc.edu Phone: 512-698-7064
UT Health Houston
To understand the experiences of autistic burnout and trauma for autistic adults.
End date of study enrollment period: 07/31/2025
Time required for the study: 15 minutes
Participant Compensation: $10 for completing the survey
The purpose of this study is to learn about distinct and overlapping symptoms of PTSD and autistic burnout in order to help clinicians know how to treat both conditions. You are invited to take part in this study because you are an adult with an experience of autistic burnout and trauma. If you agree to participate, you will be asked to respond to questions in a brief survey. The total amount of time you will be in this study is 15-30 minutes. The first 100 valid responses to the survey will receive a $10 e-gift card for your participation. You may also be contacted for a brief interview about your experiences with autistic burnout and trauma, if you are willing to participate in this.
For more information about the study: https://uthtmc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_ctEZZOhndS8xD4W
Contact: Antonio Pagán Email: antonio.pagan@uth.tmc.edu Phone: 661-313-9149
UT Health Houston
To help Latino young adults transition to adulthood and their Spanish-speaking parents receive support.
End date of study enrollment period: 09/15/2025
Time required for the study: 1.5 hours per week for 10 weeks
Participant Compensation: Each young adult and parent could earn up to $195 for participating and completing measures.
The Launching! to Adulthood program helps autistic young adults reach their full potential, while supporting their parents. The program is 10 weeks long and is completely virtual. Young adults and parents attend separate weekly group meetings and young adults work 1-on-1 with a coach to help them with their goals. We have programs in English, Spanish, and for military families. We look forward to serving you!
For more information about the study: http://tiny.cc/UTHealthHouston
Contact: Antonio Pagán Email: antonio.pagan@uth.tmc.edu Phone: 661-313-9149
University of Texas at Austin
We are conducting a research study aimed at understanding the experiences of parents with children diagnosed with autism who have received applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA therapy) for a year or longer.
End date of study enrollment period: 09/15/2024
Time required for the study: 3 hours
Participant Compensation: None
The purpose of the study is to learn the experiences of parents of children with autism as it relates to receiving therapeutic services. In order to participate, you must be the parent of a child with autism. Your child must have received applied behavior analysis therapy (ABA therapy) for a year or longer. If you choose to participate, you will be asked to complete two questionnaires and possibly participate in an interview with one of the researchers. The surveys will take no more than 1 hour to complete. The interview will take no more than 2 hours to complete. Taking part in this research study is voluntary. You do not have to participate, and you can stop at any time.
For more information about the study: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3kCIkgZcBXjadOm
Contact: Patricio Erhard Email: patricio.erhard@utexas.edu Phone: 210-844-5831
Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas
The purpose of the study is to learn more about you and your child’s experiences with water safety and seeking or taking swimming lessons (whether or not your child attended swimming lessons).
End date of study enrollment period: 12/31/2023
Time required for the study: 2 hours
Participant Compensation: $40 gift card
We would like to invite you, as a parent or guardian of a child with autism under 18 years old living in central Texas, to participate in a focus group about water safety. The purpose of the study is to learn more about you and your child’s experiences with water safety and seeking or taking swimming lessons (whether or not your child attended swimming lessons). This study will help identify and understand challenges around water safety among families with children who have autism–a group that is at heightened risk of drowning.
For more information about the study: https://redcap.link/autism-swim-screening
Contact: Barbara Cosart, Email: barbara.cosart@ascension.org, Phone: 512-324-0000 ext. 86820
University of Alaska Anchorage, Center for Human Development
The purpose of the survey is to understand what education and support autistic adults think are important to have romantic relationships.
End date of study enrollment period: 12/31/2023
Time required for the study: 10-15 minutes
Participant Compensation: None
The University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Human Development is looking for autistic adults who are their own guardians to complete a survey about sexual health education. The purpose of the survey is to understand what education and support autistic adults think are important to have romantic relationships. This information will help us develop training. If you are an autistic adult and willing to participate, please click the link to complete the survey. Participation is voluntary and we will not know your name.
Link to survey: https://uaa.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cSngv4XacO48uF0
If you have questions please contact Curtis Smith: csmith1@alaska.ed
Old Dominion University
The purpose of this study is to better understand how children and young adults with and without autism make and perceive facial expressions.
End date of study enrollment period: 12/31/2023
Time required for the study: 1-2 hours
Participants receive a $10 gift card.
We are currently looking for volunteers ages 8 – 20 years old who have been diagnosed with autism for an online research study on facial expressions jointly organized by Old Dominion University and Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA. Participants interact with the researchers on Zoom and play a video game related to facial expressions while a webcam captures their reactions. All participants get a $10 gift card for taking part in the study. If you are interested in participating, please email mwith010@odu.edu or call (757)297-1453.
For more information about the study: https://sites.wp.odu.edu/VisionLab/volunteers-needed-for-remote-research-study-group-with-asd/
Baylor College of Medicine
This study tests the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy for autistic youth with anxiety and/or depression.
End date of study enrollment period 05/31/2025
Time required for the study: 12 1hr sessions of virtual treatment over 14 weeks; 10 hours of assessments over 4 visits
Up to $400 compensation through ClinCards.
HAABIT is a research study at Baylor College of Medicine that provides free virtual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for autistic teens aged 10-17 who experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. The treatment involves weekly therapy tailored for autism and four assessments, for which you will be compensated up to $400. There is no cost to participate in the study.
Please fill out this eligibility form https://tinyurl.com/HAABITStudy or contact Jessica Cheng and Callie Murphy at AutismTeenTherapy@bcm.edu to express interest or learn more!
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
This study seeks to understand the effects of social identity on social camouflaging (“masking”) behaviors in autistic adults who are not diagnosed with intellectual disability.
End date of study enrollment period 12/09/2023
Time required for the study: 20 minutes
Participants may opt in to a drawing for one of eight $25 VISA gift cards.
Are you an autistic adult? If so, how often do you hide your autistic traits? If you are: – a formally diagnosed or self-diagnosed autistic adult – without intellectual disability – living in the United States then you are eligible to take part in this research study about social identity and its effect on the masking behaviors and well-being of autistic adults.
If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact Maura O’Sullivan at: mosullivan1@unc.edu or 404-971-9946
For more information about the study: tinyurl.com/maskingidentity
University of Texas at Austin
The purpose of the study is to understand the healthcare experiences of autistic and non autistic adults to improve education to decrease healthcare disparity.
End date of study enrollment period 01/31/2024.
Time required for the study: 15 to 20 minutes to complete an online survey
If you choose to take part in this autistic led study, you will be asked to complete an online survey that should take about 15-20 minutes. Participants with adult family members that they support in healthcare appointments will have an option to answer a few more questions. While there is no direct benefit for taking part in this study, it could benefit others, since the goal is to improve education to reduce healthcare disparity. Much of the survey has audio and is created to be accessible.
Contact information: Larissa Minner, 512-524-7307 or email: Larissa.Minner@utexas.edu
Drexel University
We are interested in developing supports to help improve communication experiences for adults on the autism spectrum, but first want to hear from the autistic community about what (if any) supports are wanted or needed.
End date of study enrollment period 01/31/2024.
Time required for the study: 65 minutes, one time
Participants will receive a $40 Amazon gift code after they complete the study.
Calling all adults on the autism spectrum! We would like to hear about your experiences with and interest in support with nonverbal communication. We are interested in developing supports to help improve communication experiences for adults on the autism spectrum, but first want to hear from the autistic community about what (if any) supports are wanted or needed.
Contact information: Hunter Cheng, 347-954-8034 or email: communicationstudy@drexel.edu
For more information about the study: https://nvcstudyinfo.weebly.com/
University of Houston Cognitive Development Lab
The purpose of this study is to explore the visual experiences of children with or at high-risk of autism spectrum disorder during social play with their parents.
End date of study enrollment period is September 16th, 2026
Time required for the study: 1-4 hours
Participants will be given a $20 Amazon Gift Card, Family Passes to the Children’s Museum of Houston, and Gift-Bundle (T-shirt, Books, Crayons, Stickers, etc).
The UH Cognitive Development Lab invites families with children between the ages of 3 months and 5.11 years to participate in our exciting research project! We are specifically looking for children with autism, children that have a sibling with autism, and/or children suspected of having autism. This project consists of a parent-child play session, and depending on the age of your child: a motor test, a vocabulary test, an IQ test, and/or the ADOS-2 (a gold-standard autism diagnostic test). Compensation will be provided alongside a full summary of your child’s results on the tests.
For more information, email Elizabeth Perkovich at esperkovich@uh.edu.
Social Media and Friendships Studies
Academic Studies
Sensory & Motor Behavior Studies
Speech Studies
We have no speech therapy study listings at this time! Studies coming soon!
Parent/Caregiver Coaching Studies
The University of Texas at Dallas (The Social Communication Lab)
We are studying the efficacy of Pathways Parent Training Program.
End date of study enrollment period 06/01/2024
Time required for the study: 1-2 hours per week for 6 months
The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of Pathways parent-coaching intervention on (1) improving social, communication, and language skills in children who have difficulties in social attention and communication. We will do this by comparing the Pathways intervention with a parent education intervention. The project provides 24 weeks of intervention and assessments to measure your child’s progress.
If you are interested in participating or have any questions, please contact Sara Brantley at: sara.brantley@utdallas.edu or 214-226-3622.
For more information about the study: https://labs.utdallas.edu/socialcommunicationlab/
Other Studies and Categories
Studies coming soon! Please check back as we will update studies monthly!