This project trains community-based mental health clinicians (psychologists and social workers) in Regulation of Emotional Lability in Autism Spectrum Disorder through Caregiver Supports (RELACS), a parent-mediated ER intervention for preschool-aged children with ASD designed to address this gap in the literature.

The objective is to define and evaluate a systematic protocol for interventionist training and fidelity to RELACS implementation. The direct benefit to clinicians and the children they serve is they are trained in an intervention that allows them to target one of the most debilitating auxiliary symptoms in ASD, emotional dysregulation.

In December 2020- January 2021, we trained clinicians using Zoom to implement RELACS with families of young children with ASD presenting for treatment at a local psychological clinic in Ann Arbor, MI. Clinicians are now offering the program to families presenting for treatment as part of the recruitment protocol for this project.