Study of Brain Changes and Social Skills Training in Teens with Autism or Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders

What this Trial Is About

Social difficulties are common in neuropsychiatric disorders like autism spectrum disorder ASD and schizophrenia spectrum disorder SSD. This research investigates the shared and unique brain mechanisms behind these social challenges in adolescents with ASD and SSD. The study aims to understand how a targeted 16-week social skills program may influence brain networks involved in social understanding and improve social outcomes in these groups compared to typically developing peers. Participants include 30 adolescents with ASD and 30 with SSD who will undergo the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills PEERS, a parent-assisted intervention involving weekly 90-minute sessions over 16 weeks. This program focuses on improving friendship quality and social skills through teaching communication, humor, conflict resolution, and friendship development. A control group of 30 typically developing adolescents will undergo the same MRI and behavioral assessments 16 weeks apart without receiving the intervention. Throughout the study, all participants will complete MRI scans including functional MRI and magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and after the intervention period. Behavioral and social cognition assessments will be conducted to measure changes in social skills and brain activity. Researchers will analyze brain connectivity, activation, and neurochemical changes to understand treatment effects and relate these findings to improvements in social behavior. The study duration includes pre- and post-intervention assessments spanning 16 weeks, aiming to identify neural biomarkers linked to social skills improvements.

Neural Basis of Social Cognition Deficits