The Tackling Teenage Project is an effort to invest and make a step forward in the research to the psychosexual development of adolescents with a autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers in Yulius Academy have developed the Tackling Teenage Training (TTT) program with the prospect of educating and informing adolescents with ASD about the pubertal and psychosexual development. The Tackling Teenage Research is held with the aim to examine the effectiveness of the training and the progress an adolescent is making in comprehending socio-emotional and pubertal changes by following the training program.

The Tackling Teenage Project is conducted in cooperation with the Department of Child of Adolescent Psychiatry/Psychology of the Erasmus University Medical Center – Sophia Children's Hospital and Yulius Mental Health Organisation.

The Tackling Teenage Training (TTT) program

The Tackling Teenage Training (TTT) program aims to promote psychosexual and pubertal development of adolescents with ASD and to educate in various topics of sexual behaviour and awareness. The training focuses on increasing knowledge and enhancing skills on physical and psychosexual changes, such as the perception adolescents with ASD have for themselves and for others. And it focuses on developing intimate relationships and satisfying sexuallity. The TTT program also addresses to adolescents that have already experienced psychosexual problems. However, the training program does not only focus on negative experiences and prevention, but also on positive experiences that an adolescent with ASD has and on the right that people with ASD have on the experience of sexuality.

Training Structure

The TTT program consists of 18 session, which include topics of physical changes going on during puberty, friendship, love and courtship, (safe) sex, pregnancy and boundaries recognition. It can be offered as a supplement to regular treatment. Within the training, information is offered in a manner that is focused on the limits and possibilities of the adolescents with ASD. Next to this, the training can be given customised to the several questions and problems that a adolescents experiences.

The structure of the training program has been made by considering the needs adolescents with ASD have at this phase of life. Although adolescents with ASD follow the same psychical development as adolescents without ASD, they do not develop with the same pace in the socio-emotional level. Therefore, it is evident that there is a need for proper guidance and information adjusted to their specialities. The TTT program was composed after the thorough examination of the theoretical models developed for the psychosexual development of adolescents with ASD. Additionally, the experiences of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and experts in child development have been also a source of information. The training program has both educational and therapeutic characteristics. Finally, the training program does not only generalises information but also offers the ability to guide individually the adolescent within his environment.

The TTT program is addressed to adolescents with ASD of 12 to 18 years old and with an intelligence quotient (IQ) of at least 80/85.

Profile of the trainer

TTT program can be offered by people within multiple disciplines, such as social workers with an academic background on child development, social workers, psychologists, specialists in child development and sexologists. A minimum thinking and working level at a higher occupational level, broad knowledge of ASD and the psychosexual development and extensive experience in guiding adolescents with ASD is important. Experience in offering individual treatments or training is preferred. It is also important to be able to communicate concretely without placing a heavy load on the conversation when discussing sexuality and to be able to reflect on personal attitudes, boundaries and personal ideas regarding sexuality and offering psychosexual education.

Train-the-trainer Masterclass Autism and Sexuality

The Train-the-trainer module is designed for future trainers. It is developed parallel to the training and aims to introduce new trainers adequate tools for assisting adolescents with ASD as well as for supporting their psychosexual formation by using the TTT program.

The Train-the-Trainer module aims to:

• Introduce novice trainers knowledge in assisting adolescents with ASD as well as supporting them in the psychosexual development.
• Share experience among the trainers as a helpful guidance.
• Assist new trainers on the way they prepare themselves before giving their first training.
• Offer supervision and/or intervision.

As the training is flexible in adjusting to the adolescent’s specialties, sharing experiences and information from Yulius Academy trainers is a helpful guidance for new trainers.

This basic training is highly recommended to new trainers who would be introduced to knowledge related to the themes of the Tackling Teenage Training and the way the trainer prepares himself.

Besides the basic training, new trainers can also participate in supervision and/or intervision. Supervision and/or intervision is essential for each trainer. Both the theme and focus group of the Tackling Teenage Training call on the sensitivity and adaptability of the trainer. In addition, the trainer himself may be faced with personal boundaries and/or resistance when giving the training, which can be discussed in supervision or intervision.

The Train-the-trainer module consists of a two-day basic training and supervision/support meetings. Yulius Academy is organising the two-day basic training in English and have the possibility to give intervision/support meetings though the Internet.

Tackling Teenage Research

The Tackling Teenage Research aims to evaluate the needs of adolescents with ASD in the area of sexuality and examine the effectiveness of the TTT program. It is a large scale research that started in 2010, in cooperation with the Erasmus MC-Sophia Children’s Hospital. The first preliminary results of the research have shown that the training had positive results on improving knowledge and skills of sexual behaviour as well as in giving sufficient answers to questions and worries that adolescents with ASD might have in this area.

From 2011 to 2015 a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) was executed to further explore the effects of TTT program. Adolescents aged from twelve to eighteen years old, having problems that belong to the autism spectrum and an IQ of 85 or higher could participate in the Tackling Teenage Research. In total 190 adolescents and their parents participated in the RCT. 

Next to the Dutch research, international interest is shown in the TTT program and several pilot studies to translated versions of the TTT program are or have been executed in several parts of Europe. A translation of the training program to English, Spanish, Greek, German and Danish are completed. In Spain, at the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona, a pilot study to the effects of the training in Spain was conducted in recent years. Currently, both in Denmark and Ireland enthousiastic researchers are conducting a pilot study to the TTT program. In Denmark we are collaborating with the Center for Autisme in Copenhagen. In Ireland the TTT program is researched by the School of Psychology of Trinity College Dublin.

International Cooperation

Promoting new knowledge and transmitting research outcomes outside borders is one of the Academy’s goals. Yulius Academy aims to meet this goal by building cooperation in a European and international level with the aim to promote and expand research for the psychosexual development of adolescents with ASD.

The Academy has already created a successful collaboration with Spain with the aim with the aim of promoting research for adolescent with ASD and other partnerships are in progress.

International Cooperation aims to:

• Develop bilateral agreements with entities and institutions to different countries and create a scientific network that will facilitate scientific collaboration.
• Create a scientific network were comparative research can be developed.
• Exchange knowledge and experience in the field of autism by focusing on the psychosexual development of adolescents with ASD.

Through collaboration, Yulius Academy aims to build a broad network of international partnerships and to establish institutional relations with research institutions in different countries.

Train-the-Trainer for international cooperation

International cooperation can be supported by the Train-the-Trainer module and new trainers can be introduced to all the themes and aspects of the TTT program. The Train-the-trainer module is designed for future trainers. It is developed parallel to the training and aims to introduce new trainers’ adequate tools for assisting adolescents with ASD as well as for supporting their psychosexual formation by using the.

The Train-the-trainer module consists of a two-day basic training and supervision/support meetings. Yulius Academy is organizing the two-day basic training in English and has the possibility to give intervision/support meetings though the Internet.

For more information, please contact us.