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Contact Information:

Dr Marianne Day
marianne.r.day@sheffield.ac.uk


Prof Megan Freeth
m.freeth@sheffield.ac.uk


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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Evaluating a strengths and needs assessment for autistic adults
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Evaluating a strengths and needs assessment for autistic adults

Not Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Mixed

Sheffield Cambridge Leeds

Medical Conditions

Post-diagnostic support for autistic adults

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


A diagnosis of Autism in itself does not provide enough information to plan appropriate post-diagnostic support. Autistic adults want to know what their diagnosis means for them and to have an easy way to communicate their strengths and needs to others, such as employers or educators. This study will test whether a Strengths and Needs Assessment for autistic adults, based on the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) could be used in diagnostic settings to help manage post-diagnostic support. The ICF assessment asks about personal abilities, day-to-day activities and things in the environment that may help or hinder everyday life. At the end of the assessment, a personalised report is produced. The study will collect data about how usable and acceptable the assessment and report are. The study team will also talk to clinicians and autistic service users to see whether it would be feasible and acceptable to use this assessment in NHS clinical settings.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

01 Apr 2025 30 Dec 2025

Publications

2026 Protocol article in https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41775479/ (added 10/03/2026)

Diagnostic clinicians will pass on information about the study to service users when they receive their autism diagnosis. Participants will then have four weeks to read this information and decide whether to take part in the study. Once registered for the study, participants will complete a short questionnaire asking for demographic information (e.g., gender, age, ethnicity) and will be randomly allotted into either the intervention group or the treatment-as-usual group. This will be done using a method which will ensure that groups are balanced in terms of demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, ethnicity). The study aims to recruit 72 autistic adults who have been recently diagnosed (within the previous four weeks) across three NHS diagnostic services (Sheffield Adult Autism and Neurodevelopmental Service, Leeds Autism Diagnostic Service, Cambridgeshire Lifespan Autism Spectrum Service). Of these people, 36 will be allocated to the intervention group and will be asked to complete the Strengths and Needs Assessment, standardised questionnaires (mental health and quality of life) and continue with their standard post-diagnostic care. Another 36 will be allocated into the treatment-as-usual group and will be asked to complete standardised questionnaires (mental health and quality of life) and continue with their standard post-diagnostic care. Questionnaires will be completed at baseline (timepoint 1) and three months later (timepoint 2).

A subsample of participants will be invited to an interview after timepoint 2 where they will ask about what participants thought about the trial procedure (intervention and treatment as usual groups), their experiences of post-diagnostic support, and what they did and did not find helpful about the Strengths and Needs Assessment (intervention group only). Clinicians will also be asked what they thought about the trial procedure in a focus group held at the end of the data collection period. If the trial procedure and assessment are considered acceptable to autistic adults and clinicians in this small-scale trial, this may be used to plan a large-scale trial of the Strengths and Needs Assessment.


1. Autistic adults (aged 18 years and older) who have received their autism diagnosis from one of the participating diagnostic settings within the previous four weeks.
2. Clinicians involved in the study at each clinical site.

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Aged 17 years or younger.2. Participants with no formal diagnosis of autism.3. Participants who received their diagnosis before the period of the study or from another diagnostic service.4. Unable to consent or to complete the Strengths and Needs assessment. 5. Participants who have a diagnosis of a co-occurring learning disability.


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • Sheffield Adult Autism Neurodevelopmental Service (SAANS)
    77 Osborne Road
    Sheffield
    S11 9BJ
  • Cambridgeshire Lifespan Autism Spectrum Service (CLASS)
    Chitra Sethia Centre, Fulbourn
    Cambridge
    CB21 5EF
  • Leeds Autism Diagnostic Service (LADS)
    Aire Court, Lingwell Grove
    Leeds
    LS10 4BS

The post-diagnostic period may be an overwhelming time for autistic adults. Therefore, participants are given 4 weeks to consider the information provided about the study before deciding whether they would like to take part. Some participants could also find answering questions about their strengths and needs, or mental health and quality of life, stressful. To mitigate this, they will be provided information about the content of these assessments so that participants are prepared for the types of questions asked. They will also be signposted to appropriate resources and support after completing the assessments. Completing the questionnaires may take some time (especially for the intervention group) which may lead to inconvenience and feel burdensome. However, participants will be able to complete the assessments at a time which is convenient for them and can complete them in as many chunks as they would like. Participants will be given up to 2 weeks to complete the assessments and they will be able to take breaks and pick up where they left off.
Participants who are allocated to the treatment-as-usual group may feel disappointed at not receiving the Strengths and Needs Assessment. The study team will ensure that the information provided to participants explains the importance of having this non-intervention group to prepare participants for this possibility.
A subsample of participants will be invited to take part in an interview. There will be no obligation to take part in the interview and consent to participate in this part of the study will be taken separately from participation in the main study. To mitigate any stress associated with being interviewed, participants will be provided with the questions before the interview so they can prepare their answers if they would like to. They will also be offered the choice of whether they would prefer to have their interview online or in-person and these will be done at a time which is convenient to participants. Participants will also be able to bring a friend, supporter or relative to the interview if they would like to.

Dr Marianne Day
marianne.r.day@sheffield.ac.uk


Prof Megan Freeth
m.freeth@sheffield.ac.uk



The study is sponsored by Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust and funded by Research for Patient Benefit Programme.



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Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN10283350

Or CPMS: 66984

Last updated 10 March 2026

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