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Assessing Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Autonomic Activity as a Biomarker

Award Number: K08MH133879
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2028

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Assessing Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Autonomic Activity as a Biomarker - PROJECT SUMMARY Children with autism and anxiety exhibit significantly more self-injurious behavior, more depressive symptoms, poorer relationships with teachers, peers, and family members, and higher levels of aggressive behavior relative to children with autism without anxiety symptoms. Yet, identifying anxiety in autism populations can be difficult, emphasizing the need for objective measures of anxiety. Autism research has included primarily White samples. Thus, investigating developmental risk and protective factors that are associated with anxiety symptoms within a racially and ethnically diverse autistic population is critical to prevent or reduce negative mental health outcomes, understand health disparities, and inform interventions that are applicable to all. Therefore, the current study aims to collect a large sample of autistic and nonautistic adolescents to evaluate whether the presence of atypical autonomic activity is a biomarker of anxiety in autistic youth. This proposal has three aims: 1) to investigate the association between baseline autonomic activity and anxiety levels in adolescents with and without autism; 2) to examine the role of ecological context and race and their relation with baseline autonomic activity and anxiety in adolescents with and without autism; and 3) to utilize real world experience sampling and noninvasive heart rate monitors to capture real-time data on autonomic activity, anxiety levels, and ecological context in the natural settings of adolescents with and without autism. Such knowledge will allow for identification of anxiety in autistic youth that would otherwise be unable to report on anxiety and inform the development of interventions that promote emotional well-being. In the transfer of my funded NIMH-K08 career development plan, I will continue to undertake training with my primary mentor, Dr. Stephen Thomas, to develop expertise in recruitment and retention of racially and ethnically diverse autistic samples and in health-disparities research methods. Additionally, I will acquire core knowledge in psychophysiology as related to the parasympathetic nervous system, develop expertise in the assessment of anxiety, receive advanced training in quantitative methodology for multilevel modeling of intensive longitudinal data, and training in ecological momentary assessment best practices. Successful completion of these aims would lay the groundwork for validating the use of autonomic activity as an objective transdiagnostic biomarker of anxiety in autism and contribute to the development of targeted interventions that promote emotional well-being, empower youth with autism, and improve their overall quality of life. Completion of the training goals will prepare me as an independent researcher in the fields of autism, developmental psychopathology, and clinical science.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $14,967 )
2026	2026	JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY	800 S MAIN ST	HARRISONBURG	VA	22801	HARRISONBURG CITY	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	002	3	6/11/2026	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$170,244
2026	2025	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BUILDING	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	6/3/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2026	2025	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BUILDING	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	6/8/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$155,277
														Subtotal = $14,967

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $194,957 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BUILDING	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	4/2/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$194,957
														Subtotal = $194,957

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $194,797 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BUILDING	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	3/7/2024	NEW	$194,797
														Subtotal = $194,797

Grand Total All Awards = $404,721

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Assessing Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Autonomic Activity as a Biomarker

Award Number: K08MH133879

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2028

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