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Psychosocial and Neural Mechanisms for a Culturally and Linguistically Adapted Treatment for Bilingual Latino Young Adults with Autism

Award Number: K99HD118079
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2027

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Psychosocial and Neural Mechanisms for a Culturally and Linguistically Adapted Treatment for Bilingual Latino Young Adults with Autism - Candidate: This K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award proposal aims to provide me with the training needed (K99 phase) to execute mental health clinical trials (R00 phase) for Latinos with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during their transition to adulthood.1 My preliminary community-based participatory research work2 found that Latinos with ASD may benefit from culturally adapted programs to help build skills to manage mental health, executive functioning, and socialization.3 As my research progressed, I became interested in the neural biomarkers that illustrate mechanism of treatment response. These experiences helped shape the direction for this K99/R00 proposal, which aims to complete the necessary research and concurrent training (K99) to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a culturally and linguistically adapted therapy program (¡Iniciando! la Adultez)4 for Latino young adults with ASD and their Spanish-speaking parents. This proposal will also allow me to learn how to identify neural mechanisms of action (R00). To accomplish the goals for this K99/R00 project, I will complete training in: 1) implementation science to improve mental health for Latinos with ASD, 2) RCT design and execution, 3) advanced neuroimaging, and 4) professional development. Research: Young adults with ASD transitioning to adulthood (18-25 years old) in the United States experience the highest rates of co-occurring depression or anxiety when compared to the general population.5 Culturally adapted and translated interventions are significantly more effective,7 yet it is disappointing that little evidence examines the promise of treating co-occurring mental health disorders for Latinos.8–11 Latinos are also not represented in research that could help accelerate clinical interventions (i.e., neural and psychosocial mechanisms of action).12 Neural and psychosocial mechanisms of action have the power to enhance treatment efficacy, optimize therapeutic personalization, and scientific validation.13,14 The dearth of research evaluating culturally adapted and translated interventions from a multimodal (e.g., neural and psychosocial) perspective maintain long-term challenges for Latinos with ASD.11,15,16 To address the need to identify the neural and psychosocial mechanisms of action for culturally-adapted treatments for Latinos with ASD and their Spanish-speaking parents during the transition to adulthood, I will 1) finalize the culturally adapted and translated ¡Iniciando! program (Aim 1a) and neuroimaging protocol (Aim 1b), 2) conduct a RCT of the ¡Iniciando! through telemedicine technology by community health workers and therapists with Latino young adults with ASD and depression or anxiety and their Spanish-speaking parents (n = 100 dyads), and 3) identify potential neural and psychosocial mechanisms of action for a subset of young adults (n = 60) from the RCT. This K99/R00 research and training plan is in line with NICHD’s priorities and cross-cutting topics to improve Latino adolescent physical and mental health functioning during the transition to adulthood.


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 = $132,027 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON	7000 FANNIN ST FL 9	HOUSTON	TX	77030	HARRIS	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	2	3/20/2026	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$132,027
														Subtotal = $132,027

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $132,033 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT HOUSTON	7000 FANNIN ST FL 9	HOUSTON	TX	77030	HARRIS	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	2/25/2025	NEW	$132,033
														Subtotal = $132,033

Grand Total All Awards = $264,060

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Psychosocial and Neural Mechanisms for a Culturally and Linguistically Adapted Treatment for Bilingual Latino Young Adults with Autism

Award Number: K99HD118079

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 04/01/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 03/31/2027

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