Training to Understand and Navigate Emotions and Interactions (Tune in): A Novel Program to Support Social Functioning in Adults on the Autism Spectrum

Purpose: There are few evidence-based programs to support social functioning in autistic adults. We developed a novel, 17-week cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based program, TUNE In (Training to Understand & Navigate Emotions and Interactions), which targets several components of social functioning in adults, including social motivation, social anxiety, social cognition, and social skills. We collected data on feasibility, acceptability and potential efficacy of TUNE In for improving social functioning in autistic adults. Methods: TUNE In comprises individual and group sessions focused on social motivation, social anxiety, social cognition, and social skills, as well as participation in a philanthropic volunteer work team for skill generalization. We piloted TUNE In in two separate cohorts of autistic adults without intellectual disability. Based on the experiences of Cohort 1 (n=7), we updated the TUNE In protocol prior to starting Cohort 2 (n=11); updates included increasing the time spent on mindfulness practices, reducing video modeling of social skills, and increasing naturalistic conversation practice. Results: TUNE In was feasible and acceptable to most participants. Cohort 2 showed improvement in social functioning as reflected by a significant reduction in Social Responsiveness Scale-2 Adult Form (SRS-2) scores (Sign Rank Test z=2.76, p=.006, d=0.44) following participation in TUNE In. Conclusion: These data suggest that TUNE In is acceptable, feasible, and may improve social functioning in autistic adults. Further study of TUNE In in comparison to a control condition in a larger sample of adults is warranted.

Note:
Funding Information: This work was supported by NIMH grant R34MH104407, Services to Enhance Social Functioning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder; The Eagles Autism Foundation (Eagles Autism Challenge Pilot Grant); the Autism Spectrum Program of Excellence (ASPE) at the University of Pennsylvania; the National Center for Research Resources, Grant UL1RR024134, now the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant UL1TR000003, and the Translational Medicine and Therapeutics’ (ITMAT) Transdisciplinary Program in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics at the University of Pennsylvania.

Conflict of Interests: No competing interests.

Ethical Approval: IRB Name: Services to Enhance Social Functioning in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. IRB Protocol number: 820694. The trial is registered with the National Database for Autism Research (NDAR) and stored in the NIMH Data Archive.

Keywords: autism, adulthood, social functioning, treatment

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

Pallathra, Ashley A. and Rankin, James A. and Day-Watkins, Jessica and Calkins, Monica E. and Maddox, Brenna and Miller, Judith and Parish-Morris, Julia and Herrington, John D. and Kangovi, Shreya and Tomlinson, Rachel and Rasty, Rose and Garuda, Ruchisree and Creed, Torrey A. and Kerns, Conner M. and Kuschner, Emily S. and Bilker, Warren B. and Handy, Femida and Connell, James and Dichter, Gabriel S. and Mandell, David S. and Schultz, Robert and Brodkin, Edward S., Training to Understand and Navigate Emotions and Interactions (Tune in): A Novel Program to Support Social Functioning in Adults on the Autism Spectrum. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5171256 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5171256