Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40156911›Full record

ArticleMilitary medicine2025

Launching! To Adulthood, A Culturally Adapted Treatment Program for Military-Dependent Autistic Young Adults and Their Military Parents: A Pilot Study.

Antonio F Pagán, Jordan Kenemore, Maj Mark Ahlenius, Linda Hernandez, Stephen Armstrong, Katherine A Loveland, Ron Acierno

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Military medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Antonio F PagánLouis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4724-768X
Jordan KenemoreDepartment of Psychological Sciences, University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX 78542, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4886-170X
Maj Mark AhleniusMadigan Army Medical Center Jackson Ave, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA 9040A, USA.
Linda HernandezDepartment of Clinical, Health, and Applied Sciences, University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, TX 77058, USA.
Stephen ArmstrongLouis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
Katherine A LovelandLouis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
Ron AciernoLouis A. Faillace, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, UTHealth Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77054, USA.

Funding

NRSA Training CoreTL1TR003169 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI CHANDRA, JOYA, FROST, JEFFREY A. · 2019 to 2023
$3.7M
CTSA Postdoctoral T32 at the University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonT32TR004904 · NCATS · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI Joya Chandra, Jeffrey A. Frost · 2024 to 2026
$787k
Psychosocial and Neural Mechanisms for a Culturally and Linguistically Adapted Treatment for Bilingual Latino Young Adults with AutismK99HD118079 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · PI Antonio Francisco Pagán · 2025 to 2026
$264k
NCATS NIH HHS 5TL1TR003169-05NCATS NIH HHS T32 TR004904NCATS NIH HHS T32TR004904NCATS NIH HHS TL1 TR003169NICHD NIH HHS K99 HD118079University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Career Development and Research Excellence (CaDRE) Program in Psychiatry
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMilitary-dependent young adults (17-25 years old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face significant barriers to accessing services during their transition to adulthood. Frequent relocations, disrupted care, and limited ASD-tailored interventions exacerbate the challenges for these families, with many young adults experiencing a "service cliff" as they age out of pediatric care and school-based services. Addressing these gaps is critical, particularly given the rising mental health challenges and executive dysfunction in this population. This study evaluates the preliminary efficacy of an adapted telehealth intervention, the Military-Launching! program, designed to support young adults with ASD and their military families. MATERIALS AND

methodsA repeated measures design was used to evaluate changes in functioning, self-efficacy, and quality of life among 20 military-dependent young adults with ASD and 34 of their parents. Participants completed measures at baseline, mid-treatment, and post-treatment. Young adults met ASD diagnostic criteria and exclusion criteria included intellectual disability (IQ < 75) or severe mental health conditions. Recruitment was facilitated through military programs at bases in Texas.

resultsSignificant improvements were observed in young adults' social cognition (η = 0.52, P = .016) and executive functioning (BRIEF-A GEC, η = 0.26, P = .016). Parents reported significant reductions in stress (BRIEF-A BRI, η = 0.28, P = .004) and enhanced quality of life in social relationships (WHOQOL-BREF, P = .047). While adaptive functioning improvements were limited to specific subscales, parent-perceived transition readiness showed a large effect size (η = 0.36).

conclusionsPreliminary findings suggest that the Military-Launching! program improves social cognition, executive functioning, and family outcomes for military-dependent young adults with ASD. Tailored, evidence-based interventions addressing co-occurring mental health and military-specific stressors are essential for fostering successful transitions to adulthood.

Indexed as

Autism Spectrum DisorderCaregiver BurdenMilitary FamilyParentsAdolescentAdultCaregiversFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPilot ProjectsPsychometricsQuality of LifeSelf EfficacyTexas

Identifiers

PMID40156911
PMCPMC12459862

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.