Achieving Independence and Mastery in School: An Open Trial in the Outpatient Setting

Youth with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) without intellectual disability frequently experience academic problems, in part due to executive functioning (EF) deficits. There are currently no evidence-based interventions targeting academic EF skills (e.g., organization, prioritization, etc.) for middle school youth with ASD. The need is critical given increasing demands on these skills during the transition from elementary to middle school. An intervention targeting academic EF skills, Achieving Independence and Mastery in School (AIMS), was recently developed. This paper reports on an open trial of the AIMS-Outpatient intervention with 21 middle schoolers with ASD. Results suggest high feasibility/satisfaction, and improved EF, particularly in the domains of organization and materials management. These promising results support further intervention development work and suggest that academic EF skills are malleable in youth with ASD.